History
On this day in 1942: American actress Hedy Lamarr received a patent for an electronic device that became a component of satellite and cellular phone technology
In 1942, Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr and American composer George Antheil were granted a US patent for an innovative frequency-hopping...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1793: The Louvre opens in Paris as a landmark of art and culture
The Louvre Museum, one of the world’s most iconic cultural institutions, opened its doors in Paris in 1793, marking a...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1969: American actress Sharon Tate and four others were murdered by followers of Charles Manson
In one of the most infamous crimes in American history, actress Sharon Tate and four others were brutally murdered on...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1974: Nixon resigns amid Watergate scandal fallout
In a historic first for the United States, President Richard Nixon announced his resignation on 8 August 1974, bowing to...
Read moreDetailsOn this day: Key moments in history from 7 August
From exploration and inventions to wars and disasters, 7 August has marked several notable moments in world history. As each...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1945: Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
At 08:15 on 6 August 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb ever used in warfare on the...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1963: World powers ban atmospheric nuclear tests in landmark treaty
In a historic step towards curbing the nuclear arms race, the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1944: The secret annex in Amsterdam where Anne Frank and seven others were hiding was discovered by the Gestapo.
On 4 August 1944, the secret annex at 263 Prinsengracht in Amsterdam was raided by the Gestapo, ending over two...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1492: Columbus’s first transatlantic voyage begun
On 3 August 1492, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus departed from Palos de la Frontera in southern Spain, launching what would...
Read moreDetailsOn this day in 1990: Kuwait invaded
In the early hours of 2 August 1990, Iraqi troops stormed across the border into Kuwait, launching a full-scale invasion...
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