1960: The First Ruby Laser
Theodore H. “Ted” Maiman developed the first ruby laser at Hughes Research Laboratories, located in the city of Malibu, California. The famous Howard Hughes o...
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1998: India Tests its First Thermonuclear Bomb: Shakti I
On this day in 1998, India tested its first thermonuclear bomb. Thermonuclear bombs use the energy of a fission bomb to compress and heat fusion fuel. Such bombs are sign...
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1946: The Launch of Nazi V-2 Rockets in a Desert near Roswell
On this day in 1946, the Americans performed the first successful launch of the German V-2 rockets that exceeded the height of 100,000 feet. The V-2 rockets were develope...
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1978: First Conquest of Mount Everest without Supplemental Oxygen
On this day, for the first time in history, human beings conquered the world’s highest peak – Mount Everest – without the use of supplemental oxygen. This venture was acc...
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1961: Alan Shepard: The First American in Space
On this day in 1961, Alan Shepard, a 37-year-old officer of the U.S. Navy, became the first American astronaut to travel into space. The Americans didn’t like the f...
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1934: French Submarine Aircraft Carrier Surcouf Commissioned
Surcouf carried a hydroplane in a hangar behind its conning tower, which is why it is sometimes called a submarine aircraft carrier. French submarine Surcouf was c...
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1360: The Yongle Emperor of China, Whose Fleet Sailed to the Coast of Africa and Arabia
The Yongle Emperor, a member of the famous Ming Dynasty, was born on this day in 1360. He moved the seat of the Ming Dynasty to Beijing, and built the Forbidden City, whi...
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1952: The First Commercial Flight with a Jet Airplane
It was a revolutionary concept since jet propulsion allowed travel at speeds 50 to 60% higher than the most advanced propeller aircraft. The first commercial jet a...
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