A Swedish man was arrested for trying to split atoms in his kitchen to build a nuclear reactor
Richard Handl purchased radioactive materials online and attempted amateur nuclear fission experiments on his stove. He only contacted authorities to...
Historical Events
2010
2009
Scientists announced they had created a functional computer from just 12 atoms
Researchers at the University of New South Wales built a transistor using a precision array of phosphorus atoms. This breakthrough represented a major...
1987
The Intifada, the Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation, began
MajorWhat started as protests following a traffic incident in Gaza escalated into years of civil disobedience, strikes, and violence. The uprising fundamen...
1955
A French baker accidentally created 'baguette vending machines' that dispensed fresh bread 24/7
Jean-Louis Hecht installed the first automated baguette dispensers in Paris, revolutionizing how Parisians bought bread. The machines could store and...
1941
The United States declared war on Japan, entering World War II
MajorFollowing the attack on Pearl Harbor the previous day, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war, calling December 7th 'a date whi...
1886
Diego Rivera, the Mexican muralist, was born in Guanajuato
Rivera would become one of the most famous artists of the 20th century, known for his massive public murals depicting Mexican society and industry. Hi...
1863
Abraham Lincoln issued his Proclamation of Amnesty and Reconstruction
This offered pardons to Confederates who would take an oath of loyalty to the Union and accept emancipation. It was Lincoln's first major plan for how...
1854
Pope Pius IX proclaimed the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception
MajorIn the papal bull Ineffabilis Deus, the Pope declared that the Virgin Mary was conceived without original sin. This became one of the most important d...
1660
A woman was publicly hanged for denying that the Holy Spirit existed
Margaret Wilson was executed in Edinburgh for the crime of blasphemy after she openly questioned religious doctrine. She was tied to a stake in the wa...