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1955

The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published.

The first edition of the Guinness Book of Records was published.

1993

The NASA spacecraft Galileo flew by the asteroid 243 Ida and took photographs that later revealed the first known…

The NASA spacecraft Galileo flew by the asteroid 243 Ida and took photographs that later revealed the first known asteroid moon (both pictured).

1950

American tennis player Althea Gibson became the first African-American woman to compete at the U.S. National…

American tennis player Althea Gibson became the first African-American woman to compete at the U.S. National Championships.

1830

Tom Thumb (replica pictured), the first American-built steam locomotive, took part in an impromptu race against a…

Tom Thumb (replica pictured), the first American-built steam locomotive, took part in an impromptu race against a horse-drawn car in Maryland.

1789

William Herschel discovered Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, during the first use of his new telescope which was then the…

William Herschel discovered Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, during the first use of his new telescope which was then the largest in the world.

1949

The Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear weapons test, detonating the 22-kiloton RDS-1.

The Soviet Union conducted its first nuclear weapons test, detonating the 22-kiloton RDS-1.

1916

Congress passed the Philippine Autonomy Act, the first formal and official declaration of the U.S.'s commitment to…

Congress passed the Philippine Autonomy Act, the first formal and official declaration of the U.S.'s commitment to grant independence to the Philippines.

1885

Gottlieb Daimler patented the world's first internal-combustion motorcycle, the Reitwagen (replica pictured).

Gottlieb Daimler patented the world's first internal-combustion motorcycle, the Reitwagen (replica pictured).

1831

Michael Faraday (pictured) first experimentally demonstrated electromagnetic induction, leading to the formulation of…

Michael Faraday (pictured) first experimentally demonstrated electromagnetic induction, leading to the formulation of the law of induction named after him.

1876

A performance of Das Rheingold (scene pictured) opened the first performance of Richard Wagner's Ring cycle at the…

A performance of Das Rheingold (scene pictured) opened the first performance of Richard Wagner's Ring cycle at the inaugural Bayreuth Festival, attended by emperors and other composers.

1609

Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (pictured) demonstrated his first telescope to Venetian lawmakers.

Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei (pictured) demonstrated his first telescope to Venetian lawmakers.

1789

With the first use of his 1.2-metre (3.9 ft) telescope, then the largest in the world, William Herschel discovered a…

With the first use of his 1.2-metre (3.9 ft) telescope, then the largest in the world, William Herschel discovered a new moon of Saturn, later named Enceladus (pictured).

1984

Followers of Osho began deliberately infecting people in The Dalles, Oregon, with Salmonella in the first and largest…

Followers of Osho began deliberately infecting people in The Dalles, Oregon, with Salmonella in the first and largest bioterrorist attack in United States history.

1967

Thurgood Marshall was confirmed as the first African-American Supreme Court justice.

Thurgood Marshall was confirmed as the first African-American Supreme Court justice.

1959

Writer and politician Abdul Muis became the first person to be awarded the posthumous title of National Hero of…

Writer and politician Abdul Muis became the first person to be awarded the posthumous title of National Hero of Indonesia.

1594

King James VI of Scotland held a masque at the baptism of Prince Henry, his first child.

King James VI of Scotland held a masque at the baptism of Prince Henry, his first child.

1952

Ernest Hemingway's novel The Old Man and the Sea, which later won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, was first published.

Ernest Hemingway's novel The Old Man and the Sea, which later won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, was first published.

1937

The first group of around 172,000 Koreans were deported by Soviet authorities from the Russian Far East to the Kazakh…

The first group of around 172,000 Koreans were deported by Soviet authorities from the Russian Far East to the Kazakh and Uzbek SSRs; around 10 to 25 percent died.

1902

The first science fiction film, titled A Trip to the Moon and based on From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne, was…

The first science fiction film, titled A Trip to the Moon and based on From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne, was released in France.

1992

An earthquake registering 7.7 Mw off the coast of Nicaragua became the first tsunami earthquake to be captured on…

An earthquake registering 7.7 Mw off the coast of Nicaragua became the first tsunami earthquake to be captured on modern broadband seismic networks.