On August 13, 1913, Harry Brearley, a pioneering metallurgist hailing from England, added some chromium to a steel mixture and changed industry and home appliances forever. The mixture he produced made a strong metal that was both resistance to corrosion and rust, stainless steel. …
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On August 12, 1676, in the swampy woodlands near Mount Hope in present-day Bristol, Rhode Island, the Wampanoag sachem Metacomet—known to the English as “King Philip”—was shot and killed by an Indigenous ally of the English named John Alderman. The single musket ball ended…
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The 1994 Major League Baseball strike stands as one of the most significant and disruptive events in the history of the sport, marking a period of deep conflict between the players and team owners. The strike, which began on August 12, 1994, was primarily…
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On August 12, 1981, IBM revolutionized the world when it offered regular people the power of computing at their fingertips at home or in the office. The introduction of the IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC marked a pivotal development in…
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On August 11, 1942, in the midst of World War II’s escalating technological arms race, Austrian-born actress Hedy Lamarr and American avant-garde composer George Antheil were awarded U.S. Patent No. 2,292,387 for an invention few in the entertainment world—or the military establishment—could have anticipated.…
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It was a joke that put everyone on edge. On August 11, 1984, during a routine sound check before his weekly Saturday radio address, President Ronald Reagan made a remark that would become one of the most infamous gaffes of his presidency. Testing the…
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On August 11, 3114 BC, time began. That is, at least if you were an ancient Mayan. The Mayan Long Count calendar, an intricate and sophisticated timekeeping system, has captivated scholars and historians for centuries. Its origins trace back to the ancient Maya civilization,…
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On Aug. 10, 1962, in Marvel’s Amazing Fantasy #15, an American superhero came to life and changed comic books and, eventually, movies forever. Created by the collaborative team of writer Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, Spider-Man was an instant sensation with readers. “Spider-Man was a…
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On August 10, 1519, Ferdinand Magellan embarked on one of the most ambitious and historic voyages in the annals of exploration: the first circumnavigation of the globe. This monumental journey, undertaken under the auspices of the Spanish crown, would forever alter the world’s understanding…
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Smokey Bear, commonly known as Smokey the Bear, stands as an enduring symbol of wildfire prevention in the United States. With his iconic slogan, “Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires,” Smokey has become a cultural figure representing the nation’s efforts to protect forests from…
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