What Happened On November 7th?
When Ensisheim Meteorite Struck Earth (1492)
On November 7, 1492, the small town of Ensisheim in Alsace, France, became the stage for an extraordinary celestial event. A blazing fireball streaked across the sky, heralding the arrival of the Ensisheim Meteorite, one of the oldest recorded meteorite falls in history. This cosmic visitor left an indelible mark on both the town and the scientific community, shaping our understanding of the Earth’s connection to the broader cosmos.
The journey of the Ensisheim Meteorite reached its climax when the celestial visitor collided with Earth’s surface. The impact caused a resounding sonic boom, signaling the arrival of extraterrestrial material in the heart of Ensisheim. The meteorite, composed largely of iron and nickel, left a noticeable crater in a wheat field, embedding itself in the Earth’s crust.
The Higgs Boson: Particles & Physics (2012)
In November 7th, 2012, CERN announced the discovery of the Higgs boson, an elusive subatomic particle that had been theorized but never observed until then. The Higgs boson is crucial to the understanding of how particles acquire mass and holds the key to unraveling the mysteries of the universe. This discovery validated the Standard Model of particle physics and confirmed the existence of the Higgs field. It was a monumental achievement that broadened our knowledge of the fundamental forces shaping our universe and opened up new avenues for scientific exploration.
Schiaparelli & Mars Canals (1874)
November 7th, 1874 marked the day when astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli made a pivotal observation that would forever alter our perception of Mars. Using a telescope, Schiaparelli noticed a series of linear features he referred to as “canali,” meaning channels in Italian. This observation sparked a widespread belief that intelligent beings had constructed canals on Mars. Although the notion of Martian canals was later disproven, Schiaparelli’s discovery instigated a surge in interest and research on the red planet, paving the way for future exploration and our modern understanding of Mars.
