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1899: The History of Aspirin
On this date in 1899, Bayer registered the name “Aspirin” as a trademark. Here are some things you might not have known about aspirin. Aspirin is also known as acetylsalicylic acid. People have been using willow and myrtle trees, both rich in salicylate for thousands of years to treat pain and fever. Aspirin is a…
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Aluminum: The Modern Metal
On this date in 1886, Charles Martin Hall used an economical method to produce aluminum for the first time. Here are some things you may not have known about it. Aluminum is the third most common element in the Earth’s crust, and the most common metal. Aluminum compounds occur naturally, and have been used in…
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Polaroid Cameras: Photos in an Instant
On this date in 1947, Edwin Land demonstrated the first instant camera. Here are some things you may not have known about the Polaroid Land Camera. Edwin Land was born in 1909 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. After one year of studying chemistry at Harvard, he dropped out to move to New York and work on his…
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Louisville Sewer Explosions
On this date in 1981, more than two miles of streets in Louisville, Kentucky, were destroyed by a sewer explosion. Here are some things you might not have known about the incident. A Ralston Purina soybean processing plant suffered a massive leak of hexane, which was used as a solvent to extract soybean oil. Hexane…
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Sumo Wrestling
On this date in 1993, the American-born sumo wrestler Akebono became the first foreigner promoted to the highest rank of yokozuna. Here are some things you may not have known about sumo, and Akebono. Sumo is a wrestling sport where opponents try to force each other to be the first to step out of the…
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Shot Heard ‘Round the World: Giants Win the Pennant
On this date in 1951, Bobby Thomson of the New York Giants hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history. Here are some things you may not have known about “The Shot Heard ’Round the World.” On August 10, 1951, the Brooklyn Dodgers led the New York Giants in the National League…
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Model T: The Everyman’s Automobile
On this date in 1908, the first Ford Model T left the factory. Here are some things you may not have known about the iconic car. Contrary to popular belief, the Model T wasn’t the first car built on a modern assembly line. That honor goes to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash in 1901. Henry Ford…
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National Geographic Magazine: 9 Things You Didn’t Know
On this date in 1888, the first issue of National Geographic magazine was published. Here are some things you may not have known about it. The magazine is now known for its use of vivid photography. That wasn’t always the case. As a matter of fact, the magazine didn’t publish a single photo in its…
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Scotch Tape: 5 Things You Didn’t Know
On this date in 1930, the 3M company introduced Scotch Tape. Here are some things you may not have known about the adhesive tapes. Until 2002, 3M stood for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing. The company was founded in 1902 and its first profitable product was sandpaper. In 1925, the company introduced masking tape. According to…
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MTV: Music on Television? That’ll Never Work
With the song “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles, MTV went on the air for the first time 35 years ago today. Here are some things you may not have known about MTV. MTV billed itself as the first 24-hour music channel, however it was not the first to experiment with music videos. In 1970,…