The Human Genome Project was declared complete, mapping all human genes
MajorScientists announced they had successfully sequenced 99% of the human genome to 99.99% accuracy. The project, which began in 1990, identified approxim...
April 16 in History
Significant events that happened on this day.
Historical Events
2003
1995
A 168-foot-tall Ferris wheel called the Cosmo Clock 21 held the record as the world's tallest until 1999
Located in Yokohama, Japan, this giant Ferris wheel was the tallest in the world when it reopened on this date after renovations. It featured over 100...
1972
Apollo 16 launched, making it the fifth mission to successfully land humans on the Moon
MajorCommander John Young and Lunar Module Pilot Charles Duke spent 71 hours on the lunar surface while Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly orbited above. T...
1963
Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous 'Letter from Birmingham Jail' on smuggled scraps of paper
Arrested for protesting segregation, King penned this eloquent defense of nonviolent resistance on newspaper margins and toilet paper. The letter was...
1945
The Red Army began its final assault on Berlin during World War II
MajorSoviet forces launched the Berlin Offensive, one of the largest battles in history involving over 2.5 million troops. The battle would rage for two we...
1943
Albert Hofmann accidentally discovered the psychedelic effects of LSD by absorbing it through his skin
The Swiss chemist had synthesized LSD five years earlier but hadn't tested its effects. While re-synthesizing the compound, he accidentally absorbed s...
1917
Vladimir Lenin returned to Russia from exile in a sealed train car provided by Germany
MajorLenin arrived at Petrograd's Finland Station after traveling through Germany in a sealed railway carriage. The Germans facilitated his journey hoping...
1912
Harriet Quimby became the first woman to fly across the English Channel
Flying a French Blériot monoplane, Quimby made the 25-mile journey from Dover, England to Calais, France in 59 minutes through heavy fog. Remarkably,...
1889
Charlie Chaplin was born in London, becoming one of cinema's most iconic figures
Born into poverty, Chaplin would become the most famous entertainer of the silent film era. His character 'The Tramp' became a global icon and he co-f...
1867
Wilbur Wright was born in Indiana, co-inventor of the world's first successful airplane
Along with his brother Orville, Wilbur pioneered aviation with their 1903 flight at Kitty Hawk. The brothers ran a bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio while...
1705
Queen Anne of England knighted Isaac Newton, making him the first scientist ever knighted
Newton received his knighthood not for his revolutionary work in physics and mathematics, but for his service as Master of the Royal Mint. He had spen...
1178
Five monks in Canterbury reported witnessing an explosion on the Moon
The monks claimed to see 'a flaming torch' spring up from the Moon, spewing 'fire, hot coals, and sparks.' Scientists now believe they may have witnes...