Exploration in History
Explore 25 historical moments related to exploration — from pivotal breakthroughs to world-changing events.
📅 13th Century(1)
📅 15th Century(1)
📅 16th Century(1)
📅 18th Century(1)
📅 20th Century(9)
Mount Everest Conquered
Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Nepali Sherpa, become the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. They achieved this feat on the expedition's final day.
First ascent of Mount Everest
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest.
Peking Man fossils discovered
Fossils of Peking Man, an early human ancestor, were discovered near Beijing, China.
Uranus ring system discovered
Astronomers using NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory discovered a faint ring system around Uranus.
First Non-US/Soviet Cosmonaut in Space
As a cosmonaut on Soyuz 28, Vladimír Remek became the first person from outside the Soviet Union or the United States to go into space.
Trans-en-Provence UFO sighting
A local farmer in Trans-en-Provence, France, reported a UFO sighting. This event is claimed to be perhaps the most completely and carefully documented sighting of all time.
Gateway Bridge Opens in Brisbane
The Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, opened as the largest prestressed-concrete, single-box bridge in the world.
China-Vietnam Naval Skirmish
China defeated Vietnam in a naval altercation near the Spratly Islands. China was attempting to establish oceanographic observation posts in the disputed territory.
Seikan Tunnel opens
The 53.85 km Seikan Tunnel opened, connecting the cities of Hakodate and Aomori in Japan. It was the longest railway tunnel in the world at the time of its opening.
📅 21th Century(12)
Comet McNaught Reaches Perihelion
Comet McNaught reached perihelion, becoming the brightest comet in over 40 years. It had an apparent magnitude of −5.5.
South Pole of Inaccessibility Reached
A four-man team using skis and kites reached the Southern Pole of Inaccessibility, the first people to do so since 1967.
Belitung shipwreck artifacts exhibition
Items from the Belitung shipwreck, the largest single collection of Tang-dynasty artefacts found in one location, were first exhibited in Singapore.
New Zealand Hot Air Balloon Crash
A hot air balloon flight from Carterton, New Zealand, collided with a power line while landing, causing it to crash and killing all eleven people on board.
Costa Concordia disaster
The Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia ran aground on a reef and capsized off Isola del Giglio, Tuscany.
Luxor hot air balloon crash
A hot air balloon crashed near Luxor, Egypt, killing 19 people. This remains the deadliest ballooning disaster in history.
Happisburgh Footprints Discovery
Researchers announced the discovery of the Happisburgh footprints in Norfolk, England, the oldest known hominid footprints outside Africa.
Azure Window Collapse
The Azure Window, a natural limestone arch in Gozo, Malta, collapsed on March 8, 2017, during a storm.
New Horizons flies by Arrokoth
The NASA space probe New Horizons flew by the trans-Neptunian object Arrokoth. This made it the farthest object ever visited by a spacecraft.
Rosemary Bryant Mariner
Rosemary Bryant Mariner was a United States Naval Aviator.
Lou Whittaker
Lou Whittaker was an American mountaineer, mountain guide, and businessman.
Iris Cummings
Iris Cummings was an American swimmer and aviator.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the most important exploration events in history?
- Notable exploration events include: Marco Polo begins journey home (1292), Columbus reaches the Americas (1492), Columbus uses lunar eclipse to influence Jamaican villagers (1504).
- How many exploration events are in the timeline?
- Our collection includes 25 historical entries related to exploration, spanning centuries of human history.
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