Science & Industry

What Happened On July 5th? On July 5, 1996, at the Roslin Institute in Scotland, Dolly the sheep was born, becoming the first mammal cloned from an adult cell. This sparked excitement and ethical debates worldwide when her birth was announced months later. From Vision to Reality Cloning Dolly was filled with challenges and skepticism. Scientists had long been fascinated by the idea of cloning, but success remained elusive. The team at the Roslin Institute, led by Ian Wilmut, pushed the boundaries of genetic science. The Recipe For A Clone They used a technique called somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The nucleus of an adult cell was placed into an egg cell that had its own nucleus removed. The team chose a cell from the udder of a six-year-old Finn Dorset sheep. They i...

What Happened On July 1st? On July 1, 1979, a new device changed the way that people experienced music. The first Sony Walkman, a compact, portable cassette player, hit the shelves in Japan and soon became a global sensation. This small device transformed personal audio consumption and started a new era in the music industry. Visionary Beats Sony co-founder Masaru Ibuka envisioned a device that would allow individuals to listen to their favorite music wherever they went without disturbing others. At the time, portable music options were limited, bulky, and lacked high-quality sound. Ibuka aimed to create a lightweight, high-quality device that would change music enjoyment on the go. Sony's engineers adapted an existing product, the Pressman, a portable tape recorder for journa...

What Happened On June 30th? On June 30, 1908, the quiet forest near the Tunguska River's met with an explosion so massive that it flattened approximately 2,000 square kilometers of woodland. Known as the Tunguska Event, the devastation most likely resulted from the explosion of an asteroid or comet, making it the largest impact event in recorded history. Fire In The Sky! Early in the morning, the indigenous Evenki people and Russian settlers in the region saw a fireball streak across the sky. Witnesses described it as a blinding light, moving swiftly and growing increasingly intense. Moments later, a massive explosion shook the earth. The force of the blast knocked people off their feet, shattered windows, and sent a shockwave that circled the globe twice. In the days followin...

What Happened On June 29th? On January 9, 2007, at the Macworld conference in San Francisco, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveil the first iPhone. This sleek, touchscreen device changed not just the phone industry but daily interactions with technology. The Core Of The Apple Steve Jobs, dressed in his trademark black turtleneck and jeans, began his keynote speech with characteristic flair. He spoke of three new products: a widescreen iPod with touch controls, a mobile phone, and an internet communicator. The audience watched in awe as Jobs revealed that these were not three separate devices but one device—the iPhone. "Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone," he proclaimed. This new device combined an iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator into a single, elegant package. The ...

What Happened On June 14th? On June 14, 1949, Albert II, a rhesus monkey, became first primate to travel into outer space. Such a mission showed not only the physical possibilities of space travel, but it also raised moral questions of using animals in research. Albert II's mission was part of a series of tests conducted by the United States Army Air Forces to understand the biological effects of space travel. The initiative began in response to the growing interest in space exploration after World War II. Scientists needed to study the impact of high-altitude and space environments on living beings before sending humans into space. Rhesus monkeys were chosen due to their similarities to humans, making them suitable subjects for these pioneering experiments. Banana Dreams Albe...

What Happened On May 28th? On May 28, 1937, in Wolfsburg, Germany, Volkswagen was founded with a clear mission: to create an affordable, reliable car for the average German family. This initiative, driven by Ferdinand Porsche's engineering vision and backed by the National Socialist government, laid the foundation for a company that would produce some of the most iconic vehicles ever made. However, the development of the Volkswagen Beetle was deeply intertwined with the political landscape of the time. As Hitler and the Nazi Party orchestrated the Anschluss, the annexation of Austria in March 1938, the promotion of the Volkswagen project became a symbol of Nazi industrial and technological prowess. The car was showcased as part of the regime's broader propaganda efforts to demon...

What Happened On May 14th? On May 14, 1973, at 1:30 PM EDT, the United States launched Skylab, its first space station, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As the Saturn V rocket ascended, it carried the hopes and dreams of many who had dedicated years to the project. Unfortunately, the initial moments were fraught with challenges. Shortly after liftoff, Skylab's micrometeoroid shield was torn away, damaging one of its solar panels. This left the station critically underpowered and exposed to high temperatures. During the next few days, NASA engineers and astronauts underwent intense efforts to devise a plan to deploy a makeshift sunshade to cool the station. The first crew, led by Commander Charles "Pete" Conrad, conducted a daring spacewalk to free the jammed solar panel. Throug...

What Happened On April 1st? On April 1st, 1976 in Los Altos, California, technology itself was about to shift to a whole new gear. This was the humble beginning of Apple Computer Co., the company that would become Apple Inc., the iconic tech giant we know today. Fueled by the vision of two college dropouts, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, Apple set out to revolutionize the way people interacted with computers. Did You Know? Did you know the original Apple logo featured Sir Isaac Newton sitting under an apple tree? Thankfully, Jobs and Wozniak opted for a simpler, cleaner design we recognize today! Not only that, Apple almost went with the name "Apple Computer" but ultimately settled on the shorter, more impactful "Apple Inc." Steve Jobs, known for his charisma and keen eye for...

What Happened On March 27th? On March 27th, 1998, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a little blue pill named Viagra. This invention changed how we talk about sexual health. First off, Viagra wasn't always meant for erectile dysfunction (ED). Really, Pfizer scientists were actually looking for a treatment for angina (chest pain) when they discovered sildenafil, Viagra's key ingredient. During testing, men noticed an unexpected benefit – improved erections. This "happy" accident ended up being a game-changer for men's health. While news reports made it look like Viagra was an instant hit, early sales were actually very slow. It took a clever marketing campaign and celebrity endorsements, like Bob Dole, to turn Viagra into the household name it is today. Interesting...

What Happened On March 24th? Just three short years after the Earth was orbited for the first time, a grainy black and white image flickered across television screens around the world on March 24th, 1965. The image wasn't a majestic view of the lunar surface, but a close-up photo of rugged lunar terrain, moments before a crash landing. This was the finale of NASA's Ranger 9 mission, a controlled crash designed to gather high-resolution images of the Moon's surface through a feat of television, so that spectators around the world could follow virtually! The Ranger program, often overshadowed by the success of Apollo, allowed for our modern human lunar exploration. Ranger 9, the last mission of Block 3 in the series, wasn't just about the grand finale. Prior to Ranger, our best gl...