Technology in History
Explore 256 historical moments related to technology — from pivotal breakthroughs to world-changing events.
📅 18th Century(1)
📅 19th Century(2)
Louis Daguerre is thought to photograph the Moon
French photography pioneer Louis Daguerre is believed to have taken one of the first photographs of the Moon, an early milestone in photographic history.
Albert Einstein Born
Albert Einstein, one of the most influential physicists of all time, is born. He developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics.
📅 20th Century(123)
First successful airplane flight
The Wright brothers achieved the first sustained flight of a powered, heavier-than-air aircraft.
Construction begins on the Golden Gate Bridge
Work officially begins on the Golden Gate Bridge, one of the most famous suspension bridges in the world.
First drive-in movie theater opens
The first drive-in movie theater opens in Camden, New Jersey, charging 25 cents per car.
Hoover Dam completed
Hoover Dam, straddling the Arizona–Nevada border on the Colorado River, was completed.
Guglielmo Marconi dies
Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi, pioneer of long-distance radio transmission, dies in Rome at age 63.
Einstein-Szilard letter
Leo Szilard penned a letter, signed by Albert Einstein and addressed to President Roosevelt, warning of Germany's potential development of atomic bombs.
Manchester Baby Runs First Program
The Manchester Baby, the world's first stored-program computer, successfully ran its first program.
Klaus Fuchs convicted
German-British physicist Klaus Fuchs was convicted of supplying information from the Manhattan Project to the Soviet Union.
Talyllyn Railway preservation
Trains ran on the Talyllyn Railway in Wales for the first time since its preservation, making it the world's first railway operated by volunteers.
Sputnik 1 is launched
The Soviet Union launches Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, beginning the Space Age.
Sputnik 2 launched with Laika
The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2, carrying the space dog Laika. This marked the first living creature to enter orbit around Earth.
Preston Bypass opens
Britain's first motorway, the Preston Bypass, opened to the public.
COBOL Development Discussion
A team of computer scientists met to discuss the creation of a common business-oriented programming language, which became COBOL.
Jacques Plante Wears Face Mask
After being struck by a puck, Jacques Plante wore a face mask for the remainder of the game, leading to its mandatory use for goaltenders.
Richard Feynman's Nanotechnology Speech
American physicist Richard Feynman gave a speech entitled "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom" at Caltech. The speech is considered a precursor to the field of nanotechnology.
First Human in Space
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human to journey into outer space. He completed one orbit of Earth aboard the Vostok 1 spacecraft.
First LED Demonstration
Nick Holonyak, an engineer for General Electric, gave the first public demonstration of a light-emitting diode.
China becomes a nuclear power
With the success of Project 596, China became the world's fifth nuclear power.
Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 crash
Eastern Air Lines Flight 663 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean after taking evasive action to avoid a mid-air collision. All 84 people on board were killed.
Gateway Arch completed
In St. Louis, Missouri, U.S., the 630-foot (190 m)-tall steel catenary Gateway Arch was completed.
Heron Road Bridge collapse
The Heron Road Bridge in Ottawa, Canada, collapsed during its construction, killing nine workers.
Our World Broadcast
Our World, the first live international satellite television production, was viewed by an estimated 400 million people worldwide.
Apollo 11 Moon landing
NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first humans to walk on the Moon, fulfilling President Kennedy's vision.
AMC Gremlin introduced
The American Motors Corporation introduced the Gremlin, marketed as America's first subcompact car.
Venera 7 lands on Venus
The Soviet spacecraft Venera 7 touched down on the surface of Venus. This marked the first successful landing of a spacecraft on another planet.
Prospero, the first British satellite, launched
Prospero, the first British satellite launched on a British rocket, lifted off from Launch Area 5B in Woomera, South Australia.
President Nixon announces the space shuttle program
U.S. President Richard Nixon approves development of the reusable space shuttle system, shaping NASA's next era of human spaceflight.
Deepest Submarine Rescue
A 76-hour multinational rescue effort in the Irish Sea resulted in the deepest sub rescue in history.
Tupolev Tu-144 Crash at Paris Air Show
During the Paris Air Show, a Tupolev Tu-144 aircraft broke up in mid-air. The crash resulted in the deaths of all six crew members and eight bystanders.
F-16 Fighting Falcon first flight
The F-16 Fighting Falcon, the most numerous fixed-wing aircraft currently in military service, made its first flight.
Airbus A300 enters service
The Airbus A300, the first twin-engined wide-body airliner, began service with Air France.
Two Boeing 727 Crashes
Two Boeing 727 aircraft, TWA Flight 514 and Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 6231, crashed in unrelated incidents in the eastern United States. A total of 95 people were killed on board both aircraft.
Microsoft is founded
Bill Gates and Paul Allen establish Microsoft, a company that becomes central to the personal computer revolution.
Microsoft Founded
Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They aimed to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800.
Launch of Aryabhata Satellite
India's first satellite, Aryabhata, was launched on April 18, 1975. The launch took place from Kapustin Yar in the Soviet Union.
Plane Crash Near Agadir, Morocco
A privately chartered Boeing 707 crashed near Agadir, Morocco, killing 188 people.
Viking 1 lands on Mars
NASA's Viking 1 spacecraft becomes the first successful mission to land on Mars and operate on its surface, returning images and scientific data.
Apple Computer is incorporated
Apple Computer is formally incorporated by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Mike Markkula, helping launch the personal computer era.
First Chuck E. Cheese Opens
The first Chuck E. Cheese location opened in San Jose, California. It was the first family restaurant to integrate food, animated entertainment, and an indoor arcade.
Tandy Corporation Announces TRS-80
Tandy Corporation announced the TRS-80, one of the world's first mass-produced personal computers.
Ford Pinto Fuel Leak Investigation
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration initiated an investigation into the Ford Pinto's vulnerability to fuel leakage and fire in rear-end collisions.
NASA launches Voyager 1
NASA launched the space probe Voyager 1, currently the farthest spacecraft from Earth. It was launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Kosmos 954 reentry
The Soviet nuclear-powered satellite Kosmos 954 burned up during atmospheric reentry, scattering radioactive debris across Canada's Northwest Territories.
Penmanshiel Tunnel collapse
The Penmanshiel Tunnel in Scotland collapsed during construction, killing two workers and leading to its abandonment.
Sony Introduces the Walkman
Sony introduced the Walkman, a portable audio player that changed listening habits by offering users the ability to play one's own choice of music.
First DMC DeLorean Production Car
The DeLorean Motor Company completed the first production car of the DMC DeLorean at its factory in Northern Ireland.
ZX81 Home Computer Launched
The ZX81, a pioneering British home computer, was launched by Sinclair Research. It went on to sell more than 1.5 million units worldwide.
First flight of F-117 Nighthawk
The Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, the first operational aircraft designed for stealth technology, made its maiden flight.
Donkey Kong Released
Nintendo released the arcade game Donkey Kong, which featured the debut of Mario, one of the most famous characters in video-game history.
Pioneer 10 Leaves Planetary Proximity
Pioneer 10 passed the orbit of Neptune, becoming the first man-made object to venture beyond the proximity of the major planets in the Solar System.
Sally Ride becomes first American woman in space
Aboard Space Shuttle Challenger, astronaut Sally Ride became the first American woman and third person overall in space.
Stanislav Petrov False Alarm
Soviet lieutenant colonel Stanislav Petrov averted a potential nuclear war by correctly identifying a missile attack warning as a false alarm.
GNU Project announced
American software developer Richard Stallman announced plans for the Unix-like operating system GNU, the first free software developed by the GNU Project.
Tetris is first released
Programmer Alexey Pajitnov releases the earliest version of Tetris in the Soviet Union, launching one of the world's most influential video games.
Apple introduces Macintosh during Super Bowl XVIII
During Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984, Apple Computer unveiled the Macintosh, a groundbreaking personal computer featuring a graphical user interface, via the iconic "1984" commercial.
Space Shuttle Discovery Maiden Voyage
Discovery, the third orbiter of NASA's Space Shuttle program, lifted off on its maiden voyage from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
First American woman space walk
Aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, astronaut Kathryn D. Sullivan became the first American woman to perform a space walk.
Sinclair C5 launched
Sir Clive Sinclair launched the Sinclair C5 personal electric vehicle, which became a cult collectible despite its commercial failure.
British Airtours Flight 28M fire
A fire broke out on British Airtours Flight 28M at Manchester Airport, causing 55 deaths and leading to improved aircraft evacuation procedures.
Super Mario Bros. released in Japan
Super Mario Bros., one of the most influential and best-selling video games in history, was first released in Japan for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
Windows 1.0 Released
Microsoft released Windows 1.0, the first public version of its graphical operating environment, on November 20, 1985. This marked a significant step in the development of personal computing.
Chernobyl disaster
The Chernobyl nuclear power plant suffered a catastrophic accident, leading to widespread radioactive contamination and long-term health and environmental consequences.
Gateway Bridge Opens in Brisbane
The Gateway Bridge in Brisbane, Australia, opened as the largest prestressed-concrete, single-box bridge in the world.
Max Headroom signal hijacking
Two television stations in Chicago had their broadcast signals hijacked with footage of an unknown person wearing a Max Headroom mask and costume on November 22, 1987.
Singapore MRT Line Opens
Singapore's first Mass Rapid Transit line opened, with train services running between Yio Chu Kang and Toa Payoh.
B-2 Spirit stealth bomber public debut
The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber of the United States Air Force was first displayed in public on November 22, 1988. The event took place at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.
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.
Aloha Airlines Flight 243 Incident
Aloha Airlines Flight 243 experienced explosive decompression while in flight between Hilo and Honolulu, Hawaii. A flight attendant was ejected from the aircraft, resulting in one fatality.
Soviet spacecraft Buran launched
The Soviet spacecraft Buran, a reusable vehicle built in response to NASA's Space Shuttle program, was launched, uncrewed, on its only flight.
Antonov An-225 Mriya makes first flight
The world's heaviest aircraft, the Antonov An-225 Mriya, made its first flight.
United Airlines Flight 811
United Airlines Flight 811 experienced uncontrolled decompression after leaving Honolulu, blowing seats out of the aircraft and killing nine passengers.
O-Bahn Busway completed
The final stage of the O-Bahn Busway in Adelaide, South Australia, was completed. This marked the end of the world's longest and fastest guided busway at the time.
TAN-SAHSA Flight 414 crash
TAN-SAHSA Flight 414 crashed while approaching Toncontín International Airport. 131 out of the 146 people on board perished.
Hiten spacecraft launched
Japan launched the Hiten spacecraft, the first lunar probe launched by a country other than the Soviet Union or the United States.
Hubble Space Telescope launch
The Hubble Space Telescope was launched into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-31 mission.
Paperback Software copyright infringement
Paperback Software was found guilty of copyright infringement on June 28, 1990, for using Lotus 1-2-3's interface in its own spreadsheet program.
Northern Xinjiang railway completion
Construction of the Northern Xinjiang railway was completed between Ürümqi South and Alashankou, linking the railway lines of China and Kazakhstan.
Lockheed YF-22 Prototype First Flight
The Lockheed YF-22, the prototype for the F-22 Raptor, made its first flight.
World Wide Web goes public
Tim Berners-Lee publishes the first website, making the World Wide Web available to the general public.
Escondida Copper Mine Inaugurated
Escondida, which would become one of the world's most productive copper mines, was officially inaugurated.
Sonic the Hedgehog released
The first installment of the video-game series Sonic the Hedgehog was released in North America.
Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 crash
Shortly after taking off from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 caught fire and crashed, killing all 261 people on board.
USS Missouri Decommissioned
The USS Missouri, the last active United States Navy battleship, was decommissioned in Long Beach, California.
Manchester Metrolink Opens
The Manchester Metrolink, the first modern street-running light-rail system in the United Kingdom, was officially opened.
Vidyasagar Setu opens
After 20 years of construction, Vidyasagar Setu, the longest cable-stayed bridge in India, opened. It joins Kolkata and Howrah.
Mosaic Web Browser Released
The first popular web browser, Mosaic, was released. It was created by Marc Andreessen and Eric Bina.
Mobile, Alabama train derailment
A tugboat collision with a rail bridge in Mobile, Alabama, caused a passenger train derailment, killing 47 and injuring 103.
Doom video game released
The video game Doom, later considered the "father" of the first-person shooter genre, was released. This event took place on December 10, 1993.
China Airlines Flight 140 Crash
On April 26, 1994, China Airlines Flight 140 crashed while landing at Nagoya Airport, Japan, killing 264 people due to a copilot error.
Boeing 777 maiden flight
The Boeing 777, the world's largest twinjet, made its maiden flight.
Nordhordland Bridge opens
The Nordhordland Bridge, Norway's second-longest bridge, officially opened, crossing Salhusfjorden.
Sony releases PlayStation
Sony launched the PlayStation, a groundbreaking entertainment platform. It became the first console to achieve 100 million unit sales worldwide.
Mir EO-19 Returns to Earth
Mir EO-19, the first expedition to the Russian space station Mir launched on an American Space Shuttle, returned to Earth after approximately 75 days in space.
Toy Story released
Toy Story, the first feature film created using only computer-generated imagery, was released in theaters in the United States on November 22, 1995.
Valeri Polyakov Returns from Mir
Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov returned from the Mir space station after 437 days. He set a new record for the longest spaceflight in history.
First Wiki Site Established
American computer programmer Ward Cunningham established the first wiki site, the WikiWikiWeb.
Atlantis docks with Mir
Atlantis became the first U.S. Space Shuttle to dock with the Russian space station Mir as part of the Shuttle–Mir program.
Birth of Ludwig Ahgren
Ludwig Ahgren, an American YouTuber and live streamer, was born.
American Airlines Flight 965 crashes in Colombia
American Airlines Flight 965 crashed into a mountain in Buga, Colombia, on December 20, 1995. 159 of the 163 people on board were killed.
Copernicium First Created
Researchers at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany, successfully created the chemical element copernicium. This marked a significant achievement in scientific discovery.
Deep Blue vs. Kasparov
On February 10, 1996, the chess-playing computer Deep Blue defeated World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov in a game. This marked the first time a computer beat a reigning world champion under tournament conditions.
Silver Spring train collision
Eleven people died in a train collision in Silver Spring, Maryland, leading to new federal rules for passenger car design.
Pokémon launched
The multimedia franchise Pokémon was launched with the release of the video games Pocket Monsters Red and Green.
Mars Global Surveyor Launched
NASA launched the Mars Global Surveyor from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Korean Air Flight 801 crash
Korean Air Flight 801 crashed into a hill on approach to Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport in Guam, killing 228 of the 254 people aboard on August 6, 1997.
Final Fantasy VII release
Final Fantasy VII, the first game in the franchise to feature 3-D computer graphics, was released. This marked a significant advancement in video game technology.
Steve Jobs Returns to Apple
Steve Jobs returned to Apple Inc. as a consultant. This occurred after Apple's acquisition of his technology startup NeXT.
Sky Tower Opens in Auckland
The Sky Tower, then the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere, opened in Auckland, New Zealand.
Maldacena publishes AdS/CFT correspondence paper
Argentinian physicist Juan Maldacena published a landmark paper initiating the study of AdS/CFT correspondence. This work links string theory and quantum gravity.
China Airlines Flight 676 crash
China Airlines Flight 676 crashed due to autopilot over-reliance while approaching Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, killing all 202 people on board.
ICANN incorporated
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) was incorporated to manage internet domain names and IP addresses.
Oslo Airport Gardermoen opens
A new airport for Oslo, Norway, opened at Gardermoen, replacing a smaller one that had served as a backup to the city's previous main airport.
New Carissa oil spill
The Philippine-flagged freighter New Carissa ran aground near Coos Bay, Oregon, causing one of the worst oil spills in the state's history.
American Airlines Flight 1420 crashes
On landing at Little Rock National Airport, American Airlines Flight 1420 overran the runway and crashed, resulting in 11 deaths.
System Shock 2 released
Ken Levine's System Shock 2 was released, later receiving critical acclaim and influencing subsequent first-person shooter game design.
RIAA Sues Napster
The Recording Industry Association of America filed a lawsuit against the peer-to-peer file sharing network Napster. The lawsuit, filed on December 6, 1999, alleged that the service facilitated widespread copyright infringement.
Steve Ballmer becomes Microsoft CEO
Steve Ballmer replaced Bill Gates as the chief executive officer of Microsoft.
Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash
Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California due to a malfunctioning horizontal stabilizer, killing all 88 people on board.
PlayStation 2 released in Japan
The PlayStation 2 was released in Japan.
US v. Microsoft Antitrust Ruling
In United States v. Microsoft Corp., Microsoft was found to have violated antitrust law by bundling Internet Explorer with its Windows operating system.
Yūki Tsunoda born
Yūki Tsunoda, a Japanese racing driver, was born.
Air France Flight 4590 crashes
Air France Flight 4590, a Concorde en route from Paris to New York, crashed in Gonesse, France. All 109 passengers and four people on the ground were killed.
Singapore Airlines Flight 006 Crash
Singapore Airlines Flight 006 collided with construction equipment while attempting to take off in Taiwan, killing 83 people.
📅 21th Century(130)
Wikipedia launched
Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger launch Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia that anyone can edit.
First Wikipedia Edit
The first edit to the internet encyclopedia Wikipedia was made.
NEAR Shoemaker lands on Eros
The NASA space probe NEAR Shoemaker touched down on Eros, becoming the first spacecraft to land on an asteroid.
Anna Kournikova worm released
The computer worm Anna Kournikova, which would affect millions of users worldwide, was released by a 20-year-old Dutch student.
Selby rail crash
A high-speed train crash occurred near Selby in North Yorkshire, England, killing 10 and injuring 82.
Mir Space Station Deorbited
The Russian space agency deorbited the Mir space station. It reentered Earth's atmosphere and broke up over the Pacific Ocean.
Milan Linate Airport disaster
Scandinavian Airlines Flight SK686 collided on take-off with a Cessna Citation II business jet at Linate Airport in Milan, Italy, killing 118 people.
Grand Theft Auto III Released
Grand Theft Auto III was released, helping to popularize open-world and mature-content video games.
Windows XP released
Windows XP, one of the most popular and widely used versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system, was released for retail sale.
First Reported Data Breach
In the first reported data breach, 250,000 social security numbers collected by the State of California were stolen from a data center.
I-40 Bridge Disaster
Barges being towed destroyed part of a bridge near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, causing vehicles to fall into the Arkansas River. The aftermath was pictured.
Firefox Web Browser Released
The first version of the web browser Firefox was released by the Mozilla Organization.
Prestige oil spill
The Greek oil tanker Prestige split in two and sank off the coast of Galicia, spilling 420 thousand barrels of oil. This event caused the worst environmental disaster in Spanish and Portuguese history.
Clonaid claims first human clone
The human-cloning company Clonaid claimed to have performed the first reproductive cloning of a human. However, they provided no evidence to support this assertion.
Toronto gas explosion
A backhoe breached a pipeline in Toronto, Canada, causing a gas explosion that killed seven people.
Steam public release
The first public release of Steam, a distribution service for computer games, was made available for download.
Dolphin emulator released
Dolphin, the first emulator for the GameCube capable of running commercial video games, was released.
Stardust spacecraft collects material from comet Wild 2
NASA's Stardust mission gathers dust grains from comet Wild 2, later providing scientists with valuable evidence about the early solar system.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas released
Rockstar Games released Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas in North America on October 26, 2004. It is considered one of the best video games ever made.
Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity lands on Mars
The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity landed on Mars and rolled into Eagle crater on the Meridiani Planum.
Nicoll Highway MRT station tunnel collapse
An incomplete tunnel leading to the Nicoll Highway MRT station in Singapore collapsed, causing four deaths and necessitating the station's relocation.
Taipei 101 opens
Taipei 101 in Taiwan opened to the public as the world's tallest building.
YouTube Founded
The online video platform YouTube was founded by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim.
Texas City refinery explosion
A fire and explosion at an oil refinery in Texas City killed 15 workers.
Airbus A380 maiden flight
The Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger airliner, made its maiden flight from Toulouse, France.
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Debuts
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion publicly debuted at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. It was a highly anticipated release in the video game industry.
Helios Airways Flight 522 Crash
Helios Airways Flight 522 crashed into a mountain north of Marathon, Greece, killing all 121 people on board.
Corrupted Blood Incident
A software bug caused a simulated pandemic in the online video game World of Warcraft, serving as a model for epidemiologists to understand how human interaction influences disease outbreaks.
Bellview Airlines Flight 210 crash
Bellview Airlines Flight 210 crashed in Ogun State, Nigeria, killing all 117 people on board.
Methane explosion in Mexican coal mine
A methane explosion in a coal mine in Nueva Rosita, Mexico, trapped and killed 65 miners.
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter enters orbit
NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter reached and entered orbit around Mars.
First Twitter Message Sent
Jack Dorsey sent the first message on the social-media network Twitter.
Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 collision
Gol Transportes Aéreos Flight 1907 collided in mid-air with an Embraer Legacy business jet near Peixoto de Azevedo, Brazil, killing 154 people and triggering a national aviation crisis.
Taiwan earthquake damages cables
Two earthquakes off the southwest coast of Taiwan damaged submarine communications cables, disrupting Internet services in Asia and affecting financial transactions.
Adam Air Flight 574 crash
Adam Air Flight 574 crashed into the sea off Polewali, Indonesia, killing all 102 people on board. The crash was attributed to the pilots inadvertently disconnecting the autopilot.
Taiwan High Speed Rail Opens
The Taiwan High Speed Rail opened, connecting Taipei and Kaohsiung.
Kenya Airways Flight 507 crashes in Cameroon
Kenya Airways Flight 507 crashed immediately after takeoff from Douala International Airport. All 114 people aboard were killed.
I-35W Mississippi River Bridge Collapse
Bridge 9340, carrying Interstate 35W across the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, suffered a catastrophic failure and collapsed. The incident killed 13 people and injured 145 others.
BioShock release
BioShock was released in North America, becoming a critical success and a demonstration of video games as an art form.
Nuclear Missiles Accidentally Transported
A heavy bomber that had been unintentionally loaded with nuclear missiles flew them from North Dakota to Louisiana before they were recognized.
London low emission zone begins operation
The London low emission zone, charging certain diesel-powered commercial vehicles to enter Greater London, came into operation on February 4, 2008.
B-2 Spirit crash in Guam
A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber crashed on the runway shortly after takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.
Trump International Hotel and Tower Grand Opening
The Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago, then the world's tallest residential building, held its grand opening. The building stands 1,388 feet tall.
Sudan Airways Flight 109 crash
Sudan Airways Flight 109 crashed upon landing at Khartoum International Airport, killing 30 of the 214 occupants.
Yves Rossy English Channel Flight
Swiss pilot and inventor Yves Rossy flew across the English Channel using a jet-powered wingpack.
Bitcoin Genesis Block Mined
The cryptocurrency network of bitcoin was created when Satoshi Nakamoto mined the first block of the chain.
Tesla Model S Unveiled
A prototype of the Tesla Model S, a groundbreaking electric car, was unveiled. This vehicle would become highly influential in the automotive industry.
Omid satellite launched
Omid, Iran's first domestically made satellite, was launched from Semnan Space Center.
Satellite Collision
The satellites Iridium 33 and Kosmos 2251 collided and were destroyed in low Earth orbit on February 10, 2009. This was the first accidental hypervelocity collision between two intact satellites.
North Korea Conducts Nuclear and Missile Tests
North Korea conducted a nuclear test and several missile tests, leading to international condemnation and UN sanctions.
Washington Metro train collision
Two Metro trains collided in Washington, D.C., killing nine people and injuring eighty others.
Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 Crash
Caspian Airlines Flight 7908 crashed in northwestern Iran, resulting in the deaths of all 168 people on board.
Climatic Research Unit hacking
Servers at the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit were hacked, and thousands of emails and files on climate change were stolen.
Avdhela Project launched
The Avdhela Project, an Aromanian digital library and cultural initiative, was launched in Bucharest, Romania, on November 24, 2009.
Pipeline rupture in Shaanxi, China
A rupture of the Lanzhou–Zhengzhou–Changsha pipeline in Shaanxi, China, caused approximately 150,000 liters of diesel oil to flow down the Wei River.
Burj Khalifa Opens
The Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest structure, officially opened in Dubai.
Deepwater Horizon explosion
An explosion on the Deepwater Horizon offshore rig in the Gulf of Mexico occurred, leading to the largest marine oil spill in history.
Flash crash of 2010
Exacerbated by high-frequency traders using strategies that have since been banned, major U.S. stock indices dropped nearly 9 percent and quickly rebounded.
Neanderthal Genome Draft Published
A draft sequence of the Neanderthal genome was published. It demonstrated that modern humans have Neanderthal ancestors.
WikiLeaks publishes Afghanistan War documents
WikiLeaks published 75,000 classified documents about the War in Afghanistan. This was one of the largest leaks in U.S. military history.
Qantas Flight 32 engine failure
In the first aviation incident involving an Airbus A380, Qantas Flight 32 suffered an uncontained engine failure and made an emergency landing in Singapore with no casualties.
Sebastian Vettel Wins Drivers' Championship
Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers' Championship after winning the final race of the season, becoming the youngest Formula One champion.
Pike River Mine disaster
The first of four explosions occurred at the Pike River Mine in the West Coast of New Zealand, marking the country's worst mining disaster in nearly a century.
IKAROS Spacecraft Flies by Venus
The Japanese spacecraft IKAROS successfully flew by Venus, demonstrating solar-sail technology. The mission objective was met.
Minecraft official release
The sandbox video game Minecraft officially released version 1.0, exiting its beta phase.
Tokyo Skytree completed
Construction of Tokyo Skytree, the world's tallest tower and third-tallest structure, was completed.
Felix Baumgartner's Stratospheric Jump
Felix Baumgartner became the first person to break the sound barrier without vehicular power by jumping from the stratosphere.
Megaupload Shut Down
The Hong Kong-based file-sharing website Megaupload was shut down by the FBI.
First Vega rocket launch
The first Vega rocket was launched by the European Space Agency from the Guiana Space Centre.
SpaceX Dragon Docks with ISS
SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft became the first commercial vehicle to rendezvous and berth with the International Space Station during a test flight.
The Shard Inaugurated
The Shard in London was inaugurated as Europe's tallest building at 310 meters, though it was surpassed four months later.
Radio Network House demolition
Radio Network House in Christchurch, damaged by an earthquake, was demolished by implosion. This was the first such demolition in New Zealand.
Voyager 1 Enters Interstellar Space
On August 25, 2012, the NASA space probe Voyager 1 became the first man-made object to enter interstellar space.
North Korea launches satellite
North Korea made its first successful satellite launch, as Kwangmyŏngsŏng-3 Unit 2 reached orbit.
South Korea launches Naro-1 rocket
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute launched Naro-1, South Korea's first carrier rocket and first launch vehicle to achieve Earth orbit.
One World Trade Center Topped Out
On May 10, 2013, One World Trade Center in New York City reached its full height of 1,776 feet, becoming the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere.
Asiana Airlines Flight 214 Crash
Asiana Airlines Flight 214 crashed on approach to San Francisco, marking the first fatal accident for a Boeing 777 and killing three people.
Lao Airlines Flight 301 crashes
In Laos's deadliest air accident, Lao Airlines Flight 301 crashed into the Mekong River, resulting in the deaths of all 49 people aboard.
The Sidemen formed
British YouTube collective the Sidemen were formed as a Rockstar Games Social Club group in Grand Theft Auto Online.
Marmaray Project Phase 1 Opens
The first phase of the Marmaray project opened with an undersea rail tunnel across the Bosphorus strait.
Tatarstan Airlines Flight 363 crash
Tatarstan Airlines Flight 363 crashed during an aborted landing at Kazan International Airport, Russia, killing all 50 people on board.
Lars Mittank Disappears
German citizen Lars Mittank disappeared from Varna Airport in Bulgaria. His last known movements were widely viewed on YouTube.
TransAsia Airways Flight 235 crash
Shortly after takeoff from Taipei Songshan Airport, the crew of TransAsia Airways Flight 235 shut down the wrong engine in response to a flameout, leading to a crash that resulted in 43 deaths.
First observation of gravitational waves
Physicists of the LIGO and Virgo projects first observed gravitational waves on September 14, 2015. Their existence was predicted by Henri Poincaré in 1905.
Gene Amdahl
Gene Amdahl, an American computer scientist, physicist, and engineer, founded the Amdahl Corporation. He was born in 1922.
Ray Tomlinson
Ray Tomlinson, an American computer programmer and engineer, died. He was born in 1941.
Flydubai Flight 981 crash
Flydubai Flight 981 crashed during an aborted landing at Rostov-on-Don Airport, Russia, killing all 62 people on board.
Aston Martin DB9 production ends
The last nine Aston Martin DB9 units rolled off the production line, marking the end of a twelve-year manufacturing period.
Turkish Airlines Flight 6491 crash
Turkish Airlines Flight 6491 crashed in Manas International Airport after overflying the runway, resulting in 39 deaths. The aftermath of the crash was pictured.
Massive cyberattack hits Ukrainian organizations
Websites of Ukrainian organizations were swamped by a massive cyberattack, blamed on Russian military hackers, using the malware Petya.
Edith Windsor
Edith Windsor was an American LGBT rights activist and technology manager at IBM.
Charles Kuen Kao
Charles Kuen Kao, a Hong Kong-American-British electrical engineer and physicist, died on September 23, 2018. He was born in 1933.
Paul Allen
Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft, philanthropist, owner of the Seattle Seahawks, died.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch released
Netflix released Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, its first interactive content for adults.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed six minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa International Airport due to a software fault, killing all 157 people on board.
Aeroflot Flight 1492 catches fire during emergency landing
Aeroflot Flight 1492 was struck by lightning after leaving Moscow and caught fire during an emergency landing. 41 people on board died in the incident.
Lee Iacocca
Lee Iacocca, a prominent American automotive executive, died.
Ferdinand Piëch
Ferdinand Piëch was an Austrian business magnate and engineer.
Andrew Clennel Palmer
British engineer Andrew Clennel Palmer died on December 21, 2019. He was born in 1938.
Lina Ben Mhenni
Tunisian Internet activist and blogger (born 1983) died on January 27, 2020.
Byron Bernstein
Byron Bernstein, an American Twitch streamer, died.
Peter Florjancic
Peter Florjancic was a Slovene inventor and Olympic athlete.
Dan Kaminsky
Dan Kaminsky was an American internet security researcher. He was born in 1979.
Nunuk Nuraini
Indonesian food scientist (born 1961) died on January 27, 2021.
Lou Ottens
Lou Ottens was a Dutch engineer and inventor, known for developing the cassette tape.
Glynn Lunney
Glynn Lunney, American engineer, died.
Suez Canal obstruction
A container ship ran aground and obstructed the Suez Canal for six days.
John McAfee dies
John McAfee, British-American computer programmer and businessman, founder of McAfee, has died.
Clive Sinclair
Clive Sinclair was an English entrepreneur and inventor.
Abdul Qadeer Khan
Abdul Qadeer Khan was a Pakistani nuclear physicist and metallurgist, often credited as the 'father' of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program.
Dagny Carlsson
Dagny Carlsson was a Swedish blogger and influencer.
Rieko Kodama
Rieko Kodama, a pioneering Japanese game developer, died on May 9, 2022. She was born in 1963.
Kathleen Booth
Kathleen Booth, a British computer scientist and mathematician, has died.
Jacob Ziv
Jacob Ziv was an Israeli electrical engineer who developed the LZ family of compression algorithms.
Gordon Moore
Gordon Moore was an American businessman, engineer, and co-founder of Intel Corporation.
Kevin Mitnick
Kevin Mitnick was an American hacker.
Bram Moolenaar
Dutch software engineer Bram Moolenaar died. He was born in 1961.
Gaston Glock
Gaston Glock, Austrian firearm engineer and founder of Glock, has died. He was born in 1929.
Japan Airlines Flight 516 collision
While landing at Haneda Airport, Japan Airlines Flight 516 collided with a De Havilland Canada Dash 8. Five people were killed in the incident.
Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after being struck by the MV Dali container ship. Six people were killed in the disaster.
Roberto Cavalli
Roberto Cavalli was an Italian fashion designer and inventor.
Death of Tim McGovern
Tim McGovern, an American visual effects artist, passed away.
Dmytro Kiva
Dmytro Kiva was a Ukrainian engineer and designer.
Susan Wojcicki
Polish-American technology executive, former CEO of YouTube.
Roy Clay
Roy Clay was an American computer scientist. He was born in 1929.
Thomas E. Kurtz
Thomas E. Kurtz was an American computer scientist and educator.
Jeju Air Flight 2216 crash
Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed at Muan International Airport after losing engine thrust to a flock of Baikal teal.
Betty Webb
Death of Betty Webb, an English code breaker (born 1923).
Air India Flight 171 crash
Air India Flight 171 crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, India, killing 260 people.
UPS Airlines crash in Louisville
A UPS Airlines plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least twelve people.
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