NASA lost contact with the Mars Polar Lander as it approached the planet's surface
The $165 million spacecraft likely crashed during its landing attempt, though the exact cause remains unknown. Investigators believe its descent engin...
Historical Events
1999
1992
The first text message in history was sent, simply reading 'Merry Christmas'
British engineer Neil Papworth sent the SMS from his computer to Vodafone director Richard Jarvis's phone. Jarvis couldn't reply because phones didn't...
1989
Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev and US President George H.W. Bush declared the Cold War officially over
MajorMeeting aboard warships off the coast of Malta during a violent storm, the two leaders symbolically ended four decades of superpower conflict. The sto...
1967
The first human heart transplant was successfully performed by Dr. Christiaan Barnard
MajorIn Cape Town, South Africa, Dr. Barnard transplanted the heart of a 25-year-old accident victim into 54-year-old Louis Washkansky. The operation took...
1960
The musical 'Camelot' premiered on Broadway, romanticizing the Kennedy presidency before it began
Starring Richard Burton and Julie Andrews, the show about King Arthur's legendary court became forever linked with JFK's administration. Jackie Kenned...
1959
The first dog blood bank opened in San Francisco to help save injured pets
The Angell Memorial Animal Hospital established the revolutionary canine blood bank, recognizing that dogs had different blood types just like humans....
1947
Tennessee Williams's play 'A Streetcar Named Desire' premiered on Broadway
The groundbreaking drama opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre and became an instant sensation. Marlon Brando's raw performance as Stanley Kowalski re...
1910
Neon lighting was first demonstrated at the Paris Motor Show
French engineer Georges Claude unveiled his neon lamp invention, which would transform cityscapes worldwide. The brilliant red-orange glow came from e...
1828
Andrew Jackson was elected as the seventh President of the United States
MajorJackson's election marked a turning point in American democracy, as he was the first president from west of the Appalachians and promoted himself as a...
1818
Illinois became the 21st state admitted to the United States
Illinois joined the Union as a free state, despite being below the line that would later be established by the Missouri Compromise. Abraham Lincoln wo...
1775
The Continental Navy was established with the raising of the first American flag on a warship
MajorLieutenant John Paul Jones raised the Grand Union Flag on the USS Alfred in Philadelphia, marking the birth of what would become the United States Nav...
1621
Galileo Galilei invented the first mechanical calculator
The renowned Italian astronomer and physicist unveiled his calculating device, which could perform addition and subtraction. This invention laid groun...