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Timeline: Technology

Years: c. 27,000 years ago - 2011	Subject: Science and technology, Engineering and Technology
Publisher: HistoryWorld	Online Publication Date: 2012
Current online version: 2012	eISBN: 9780191737459

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BCE CE

Year	Event
c. 27,000 years ago	In the earliest known example of ceramics, humans at Dolni Vestonice model figures in burnt clay Go to unenclosed settlement in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Arts Sculpture Science Inventions and discoveries Bohemia Czech Republic
c. 15,000 years ago	Needles of bone or ivory are now fine enough to take a thread as thin as horse hair Go to Magdalenian in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Science Social and domestic Inventions and discoveries Society
c. 8000 BCE	The spindle develops naturally in the process of twisting fibres into thread by hand Go to spindle whorl in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Neolithic Science Social and domestic Inventions and discoveries Society
c. 7000 BCE	Neolithic communities in eastern Anatolia make implements of hammered copper - the first tentative step out of the Stone Age Go to copper in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Neolithic Science Social and domestic Inventions and discoveries Asia West Asia Turkey Society
c. 5800 BCE	Fragments of cloth, woven in Catal Huyuk, survive because they are carbonized in a fire Go to Neolithic in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Neolithic Science Asia West Asia Turkey
c. 4400 BCE	The first evidence of a loom comes from this period in Egypt, but some simple method of holding the warp must be as old as weaving Go to weaving in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Neolithic Science Inventions and discoveries Africa North Africa Egypt
c. 4000 BCE	In Mesopotamia, and on the grass steppes of southern Russia, oxen are used to pull heavy loads on sledges Go to Land Transportation in The Oxford Companion to Archaeology (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Neolithic Mesopotamia Asia West Asia Iraq Europe Russia A simple hand-held plough is in use in Egypt and Mesopotamia, at least 1000 years before a heavier version is pulled by oxen Go to Land Transportation in The Oxford Companion to Archaeology (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Neolithic Inventions and discoveries Mesopotamia Africa North Africa Egypt Asia West Asia Iraq
c. 3800 BCE	Copper is extracted from ore by smelting at various sites in Iran Go to copper in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Prehistory Neolithic Asia Central Asia Iran (Persia)
c. 3000 BCE	An easily portable writing surface is developed, from the papyrus plant of the Nile Go to papyrus in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Africa North Africa Egypt The lever is in use in both Mesopotamia and Egypt Go to Egyptian and Mesopotamian technology in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Inventions and discoveries Mesopotamia Africa North Africa Egypt Asia West Asia Iraq Wheels are in use on carts, particularly where wood is easily available and the ground rough - as in the forests of Europe Go to wheel in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Neolithic 3100-1000 BCE Social and domestic Inventions and discoveries Society Potters in Mesopotamia turn their pots on wheels Go to potter's wheel in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Inventions and discoveries Mesopotamia Asia West Asia Iraq
c. 2850 BCE	The Chinese discover that the cocoon of a certain worm can be unwound, spun as thread and then woven - thus creating silk Go to silk in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Inventions and discoveries Asia East Asia China
c. 2800 BCE	Objects are cast in bronze, at Ur in Mesopotamia - introducing what is later called the Bronze Age Go to Bronze Age in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Inventions and discoveries Mesopotamia Asia West Asia Iraq
c. 2500 BCE	Yarns of spun cotton survive at Mohenjo-daro, one of the two great cities of the Indus civilization Go to Mohenjo-Daro in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Science Social and domestic Inventions and discoveries Asia South Asia India (the subcontinent) Pakistan Society
c. 1500 BCE	The Hittites, in Anatolia, are the first people to work iron - introducing what is later called the Iron Age Go to Iron Age in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Inventions and discoveries Asia West Asia Turkey
c. 1400 BCE	The clepsydra, or water clock, is developed in Egypt Go to cle'psydra in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE Inventions and discoveries Africa North Africa Egypt
c. 1000 BCE	Iron reheated with carbon is found to be much harder, being transformed into steel Go to steel in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3100-1000 BCE 1000-600 BCE Inventions and discoveries Asia West Asia
c. 850 BCE	The technique of glazing pottery is discovered in Mesopotamia, though used at this stage only for decorative purposes Go to ceramics in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1000-600 BCE Arts Decorative arts Inventions and discoveries Mesopotamia Asia West Asia Iraq
c. 800 BCE	The earliest surviving sundial is in use in Egypt Go to sundial in A Dictionary of Astronomy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1000-600 BCE Inventions and discoveries Africa North Africa Egypt
c. 515 BCE	The Persian emperor Darius I constructs a canal linking the Nile to the Red Sea Go to Darius I (c.550–486 bc) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 6th century BCE Canals Engineering Africa North Africa Egypt Society
513 BCE	The Chinese become the first people to cast iron, after developing a furnace which can reach a very high temperature Go to iron in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 6th century BCE Inventions and discoveries Asia East Asia China
c. 500 BCE	The great network of roads built by Darius I has at its centre the 2000-mile royal road from Susa to Sardis Go to Royal Road in Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 6th century BCE 5th century BCE Travel and transport Engineering Asia Central Asia Iran (Persia) Society
c. 350 BCE	The earliest description of a pulley appears in a Greek text Go to pulley in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 4th century BCE Inventions and discoveries Europe Greece
312 BCE	The first Roman road, the Via Appia, links Rome with Capua Go to via Appia in Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 4th century BCE Travel and transport Engineering Rome Europe Greece Italy Society
c. 250 BCE	To help the king of Syracuse extract water from the hold of a ship (so the story goes), Archimedes invents the screw now known by his name Go to Archimedes' screw in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century BCE Inventions and discoveries Europe Greece Italy
c. 200 BCE	Cement is in use for construction in Asia Minor, possibly developed first in Pergamum Go to Pergamum in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century BCE 2nd century BCE Inventions and discoveries Asia West Asia Turkey
c. 170 BCE	Parchment is invented by Eumenes II, king of Pergamum, according to traditional accounts Go to parchment in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 2nd century BCE Inventions and discoveries Asia West Asia Turkey
c. 50 BCE	The Phoenicians discover that a blob of molten glass can be puffed out to form a hollow vessel Go to glass in Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century BCE Inventions and discoveries The Phoenicians Asia West Asia Lebanon and Syria
47	Roman legions build the Fosse Way, a raised road with a ditch on each side stretching from Lincoln to Devon Go to Fosse Way in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century CE Roman empire Roman Britain Travel and transport Engineering Europe Society Empires Britain
c. 75	Hero, a Greek scientist in Alexandria, devises various forms of steam engine Go to Hero of Alexandria (c.ad 62) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century CE Steam Engineering Alexandria Africa North Africa Egypt The dioptra, developed by Hero of Alexandria for surveying land, is an early form of theodolite Go to Hero of Alexandria (c.ad 62) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century CE Inventions and discoveries Alexandria Africa North Africa Egypt
c. 100	The network of Roman roads stretches eventually from England to Egypt Go to Roman roads in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1st century CE 2nd century Engineering Africa North Africa Asia West Asia Europe
c. 105	A bridge is built over the river Tagus at Alcántara and stands today as a fine example of Roman technology Go to Alcántara (Extremadura/Spain) in The Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 2nd century Roman empire Engineering Europe Spain Empires The eunuch Ts'ai Lun either invents paper or presents a report on the new substance to the Chinese emperor Go to paper in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 2nd century Inventions and discoveries Asia East Asia China
134	The Sant'Angelo bridge in Rome, still standing today, is built for the emperor Hadrian by means of a coffer dam Go to Hadrian in The Oxford Companion to Classical Literature (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 2nd century Roman empire Engineering Europe Italy Empires
c. 250	Roman socks, surviving in dry Egyptian tombs, are the earliest known examples of knitting Go to knitting in The Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 3rd century Roman empire Inventions and discoveries Africa North Africa Egypt Empires
c. 610	The Grand Canal is constructed in China, joining a network of existing waterways to link the Yangtze and Yellow rivers Go to Grand Canal in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 7th century Canals Engineering Asia East Asia China Society
644	A document makes the first known reference to windmills, in use in Persia Go to windmill in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 7th century Inventions and discoveries Asia Central Asia Iran (Persia)
c. 700	The discovery of the technique of porcelain, the most delicate of all forms of pottery, is made in China Go to porcelain in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 7th century 8th century Arts Decorative arts Asia East Asia China
751	Skilled Chinese paper-makers are captured by the Arabs - beginning the slow westward transmission of the technology of paper Go to paper, East Asian in The Oxford Companion to the Book (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 8th century Inventions and discoveries Asia Central Asia
768	The empress of Japan, in a remarkable start to the story of printing, commissions a million copies of a Buddhist charm Go to printing in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 8th century Printing Prints Religion Communication Asia East Asia Japan
868	The world's first known printed book, a Diamond Sutra, is commissioned by a Buddhist monk in honour of his parents Go to sutra in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 9th century Printing Communication Asia East Asia China The Diamand Sutra has as a frontispiece a printed woodcut depicting an enthroned Buddha Go to Diamond Sutra in The Oxford Companion to the Book (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 9th century Printing Prints Asia East Asia China
c. 950	A Chinese engineer, Chiao Wei-yo, is credited with devising the principle of the two-level pound lock for canals Go to canal lock in Visual English Dictionary (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 10th century Canals Engineering Asia East Asia China Society
c. 1050	The concept of movable type for printing is pioneered in China, using fired clay, but it proves impractical Go to movable type in A Dictionary of Media and Communication (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 11th century Printing Communication Asia East Asia China The rulers of Baghdad harness homing pigeons as postmen. Go to Baghdad (Iraq) in The Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 11th century Communication Mesopotamia Asia West Asia Iraq The earliest surviving reference to the principle of the compass occurs in a Chinese manuscript Go to compass in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 11th century Inventions and discoveries Asia East Asia China
1064	Su Sung, a Buddhist monk, develops in China the principle of the escapement in his tower clock worked by a water wheel Go to escapement in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 11th century Inventions and discoveries Asia East Asia China
1176	Construction begins on London Bridge, the first stone bridge to be built across a tidal waterway Go to London bridge in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Britain 1066-1500 12th century Engineering British Isles Europe Britain
c. 1200	The Chinese develop a feature of great significance in the history of seafaring - a sternpost rudder which is an integral part of the ship Go to sternpost in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 12th century 13th century Inventions and discoveries Asia East Asia China
1268	The first mention of a lens occurs in a manuscript by Roger Bacon, to be soon followed by the invention of spectacles Go to Bacon, Roger (c. 1214–92) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Britain 1066-1500 13th century Inventions and discoveries British Isles Europe Britain
1364	A great clock is completed in Padua, regulated mechanically by foliot and escapement Go to escapement in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 14th century Italian Renaissance Inventions and discoveries Europe Italy
c. 1380	Koreans establish the first type foundry, casting movable type in bronze Go to movable type in A Dictionary of Media and Communication (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 14th century Printing Communication Asia East Asia Korea With the development of clocks, the hour becomes a fixed period of time - one twenty-fourth part of the day Go to hour noun in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 14th century
1386	A clock, designed only to strike the hours, is installed in Salisbury cathedral and is still working today Go to Salisbury in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Britain 1066-1500 14th century Inventions and discoveries British Isles Europe Britain
1391	Construction begins on a canal from Lübeck south to the Elbe, linking the Baltic and the North Sea Go to Elbe in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 14th century Canals Travel and transport Engineering Europe Germany Society
c. 1397	The keyboard of the organ is adapted in Germany to strings, thus providing the harpsichord - first mentioned in a manuscript of this year Go to harpsichord in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 14th century Performing arts Music Inventions and discoveries Germany
c. 1420	Glazed windows become a feature of the richer homes of northern Europe Go to windows in The Oxford Companion to Architecture (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century Architecture Europe
c. 1425	Packs of tarot playing cards are among the most popular products of Europe's first printing presses Go to the Tarot in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century Printing Prints Sports and games Society
c. 1450	The oldest surviving spring mechanism (enabling clocks to become small and portable) is put to work Go to clock in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century Inventions and discoveries
c. 1455	Master ES becomes the first artist to produce engravings Go to engraving in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century Printing Arts Prints Germany
1456	A copy of Europe's first book printed from movable type, the Gutenberg Bible, is completed in Mainz Go to Gutenberg Bible in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century Printing Prints Communication Germany
c. 1461	Albrecht Pfister publishes the first book with printed illustrations - Der Ackermann aus Böhmen ('The farmer of Bohemia') Go to Pfister, Albrecht (c.1429–c.1466) in The Oxford Dictionary of the Renaissance (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century Printing Prints Germany
1470	The first Italian printing press is set up in Venice, which soon rivals Germany for the quality of its printing Go to printing in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century Italian Renaissance Printing Prints Venice Europe Italy
c. 1476	Caxton establishes the first English printing press in London, after working in the new trade in Bruges Go to Caxton, William (c. 1420–c. 1492) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Britain 1066-1500 15th century Printing British Isles Europe Britain
1477	Ptolemy's concept of the world, with the Atlantic stretching to China and India, is printed in Bologna – fifteen years before Columbus sails west Go to Ptolemy (ad 90–168) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century Italian Renaissance Printing Europe Italy
1492	The world's first globe is published by Martin Behaim without showing America, in the very year of Columbus' voyage Go to Behaim, Martin (1459–1507) in The Oxford Dictionary of the Renaissance (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century Printing Germany Latin America Caribbean
1493	The Nuremberg Chronicle integrates text and pictures in an ambitious history of the world Go to Nuremberg Chronicle in The Oxford Companion to the Book (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century Printing Prints Germany
c. 1495	Dürer, the first great artist to tackle the complexities of printing, becomes a master of woodcut and engraving Go to Dürer, Albrecht (1471–1528) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century Printing Arts Prints Germany The type faces known as roman and italic are created in Venice by the printers Nicolas Jenson and Aldus Manutius Go to Jenson, Nicolas (c.1420–1480) in The Oxford Dictionary of the Renaissance (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century Italian Renaissance Printing Venice Europe Italy
c. 1500	The first etchings are printed in Augsburg, from iron plates Go to Augsburg in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century 16th century Printing Prints Germany The first watches, made in Nuremberg, are spherical clocks about three inches in diameter, worn usually on a ribbon round the neck Go to clocks and watches in The Oxford Dictionary of the Renaissance (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century 16th century Inventions and discoveries Germany The first modern lock gates are installed on a canal in Milan, probably designed by Leonardo da Vinci Go to Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 15th century 16th century Italian Renaissance Canals Engineering Europe Italy Society The Inca empire has about 25,000 miles of well-serviced roads, designed for caravans of llamas Go to Inca in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 15th century 16th century Civilizations of Peru Incas Andean Civilizations Travel and transport Engineering Society Latin America Peru South America
c. 1520	Europe's new printing presses make possible the first pamphlet war, spreading instant arguments for and against the Reformation Go to Reformation in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 16th century Reformation Printing Religion Christianity
1530	German botanist Otto Brunfels publishes Living images of plants, the first serious work of natural history with printed illustrations Go to Brunfels, Otto (c.1489–1534) in The Oxford Dictionary of the Renaissance (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 16th century Printing Prints Science Life sciences Germany
c. 1550	The tinderbox provides a new way of making fire - with just flint, steel and tinder Go to flint noun in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 16th century Inventions and discoveries
1560	A book to teach good handwriting is published by Gianfrancesco Cresci, with examples engraved on copper plates Go to Cresci, Gianfrancesco (Giovanni Francesco) (c.1534/5) in The Oxford Companion to the Book (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Renaissance 16th century Italian Renaissance Printing Prints Europe Italy
1569	Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator publishes a map of the world, using the projection now known by his name Go to Mercator projection in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 16th century Printing Prints Europe Belgium Netherlands
1589	An English clergyman, William Lee, develops the world's first industrial machinery, to knit stockings Go to framework knitting in The Oxford Companion to Family and Local History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 16th century Britain 1500-1750 Inventions and discoveries British Isles Europe Britain
1590	Zacharias Janssen, a spectacle maker in the Dutch town of Middelburg, creates the first microscope Go to Lippershey, Hans (c.1570–1619) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 16th century Inventions and discoveries Europe Netherlands
1595	A year after Mercator's death, his son publishes a bound collection of his maps with the title Atlas, or Cosmographic Meditations Go to Mercator, Gerardus (1512–94) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 16th century Printing Prints Europe Belgium Netherlands
1608	A lucky accident reveals the principle of the telescope to a spectacle maker, Hans Lippershey. In the Dutch town of Middelburg Go to Lippershey, Hans (c.1570–1619) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Inventions and discoveries Europe Netherlands
1609	Galileo improves on the Dutch telescope (and doubles his salary by presenting one to his employer) Go to Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Inventions and discoveries Europe Italy
1640	The first book published in England's American colonies is Bay Psalm Book, a revised translation of the psalms Go to Bay Psalm Book in The Concise Oxford Companion to American Literature (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Printing North America United States
1642	The Briare canal, joining the Seine to the Loire, has a staircase of six consecutive locks Go to lock in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Canals Engineering Europe France Society
1643	Evangelista Torricelli, observing variations in a column of mercury, discovers the principle of the barometer Go to Torricelli, Evangelista (1608–1647) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Inventions and discoveries Europe Italy
c. 1650	A German burgomaster, Otto von Guericke, devises an air pump capable of creating a vacuum Go to Guericke, Otto von (1602–1686) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Inventions and discoveries Germany
1653	The English admiral Robert Blake introduces a system of signalling at sea by means of flags Go to Blake, Robert (1599–1657) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Britain 1500-1750 Communication War British Isles Europe Britain
1654	Otto von Guericke uses sixteen horses to demonstrate in Regensburg the power of a vacuum Go to Guericke, Otto von (1602–1686) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Science Physics Germany
1656	Dutch physicist Christiaan Huygens constructs the first pendulum clock, on Christmas Day in the Hague Go to Huygens, Christiaan (1629–95) in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Inventions and discoveries Europe Netherlands
c. 1658	Prince Rupert of the Rhine pioneers mezzotint, the first half-tone technique in printing Go to mezzotint in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Britain 1500-1750 Printing Prints British Isles Europe Britain
c. 1660	The berlin, developed in Berlin, becomes the most successful carriage of the seventeenth century Go to Berlin in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Germany Society
1675	Christiaan Huygens, inventor of the pendulum clock, now develops the hairspring - of great future importance in watches Go to Huygens, Christiaan (1629–95) in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Inventions and discoveries Europe Netherlands
c. 1680	The English clockmaker Thomas Tompion is the first to make successful use of the hairspring in pocket watches Go to Tompion, Thomas in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Britain 1500-1750 Inventions and discoveries British Isles Europe Britain
1681	The Canal du Midi is completed in France, including at one point a 160-metre tunnel through high ground Go to Rivers, Canals, and Inland Waterways in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Canals Engineering Europe France Society
c. 1685	Denis Papin, a French scientist working in England, demonstrates a pressure cooker fitted with a safety valve Go to Pressure Cookers in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Britain 1500-1750 Inventions and discoveries British Isles Europe Britain
1690	The French scientist Denis Papin, while professor of mathematics at Marburg, develops the first steam engine to use a piston Go to Papin, Denis (1647–c.1712) in The New Oxford Dictionary for Scientific Writers and Editors (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Steam Germany
1697	The Russian tsar, Peter I, studies western European technology, working as a ship's carpenter in Dutch and English shipyards Go to Peter I (1672–1725) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Britain 1500-1750 British Isles Europe Netherlands Russia Britain
1698	Thomas Savery creates the first practical steam engine, designed to pump water out of mines Go to Savery, Thomas (c. 1650–1715) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Britain 1500-1750 Steam Engineering British Isles Europe Britain A maker of harpsichords in Florence, Bartolomeo Cristofori, develops the piano ('soft') and forte ('loud') feature which leads to the piano Go to Cristofori, Bartolomeo (4 May 1655) in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 17th century Performing arts Music Inventions and discoveries Florence Europe Italy
1709	Abraham Darby at Coalbrookdale discovers the use of coke in the smelting of pig iron Go to Darby, Abraham (14 Apr 1678) in The Grove Encyclopedia of Decorative Arts (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1500-1750 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
c. 1710	Thomas Newcomen creates a piston steam engine, with the steam condensed in the cylinder by a jet of cold water Go to Newcomen, Thomas (1663–1729) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1500-1750 Steam Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1714	Fahrenheit perfects the mercury thermometer and decides on a 180-degree interval between the freezing and boiling points of water Go to Fahrenheit, (Gabriel) Daniel (1686–1736) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Science Physics Inventions and discoveries Germany The British government offers a massive £20,000 prize for a chronometer capable of keeping accurate time at sea Go to chronometer noun in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1500-1750 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
c. 1720	The postchaise, introduced in France, provides the first chance of reasonably comfortable travel by land Go to post-chaise noun in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Europe France Society
1724	General Wade, commander-in-chief of North Britain, begins an impressive programme of road construction in the Scottish Highlands Go to Wade, George (1673–1748) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1500-1750 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 Scotland British Isles Europe Britain
1731	English maker of telescopes John Hadley designs the instrument which evolves into the standard sextant used at sea Go to sextant in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1500-1750 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1733	John Kay, working in the Lancashire woollen industry, patents the flying shuttle to speed up weaving Go to Kay, John (1704–c. 1780) in The Oxford Companion to British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1500-1750 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1742	Swedish astronomer Anders Celsius proposes 100 degrees between the freezing and boiling points of water Go to Celsius, Anders (1701–1744) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Science Physics Inventions and discoveries Europe Sweden
1744	Franklin publishes his design for an improved stove in Account of the New Invented Pennsylvania Fire Place Go to Franklin, Benjamin (1706–90) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1746	Monsieur Passemont constructs in Paris a millennium clock which can record the date in any year up to AD 9999 Go to Paris in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Inventions and discoveries Europe France
1761	John Harrison's fourth chronometer is only five seconds out at the end of a test journey from England to Jamaica Go to Harrison, John (1693–1776) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain Latin America Caribbean
1764	James Watt ponders on the inefficiency of contemporary steam engines and invents the condenser Go to Watt, James (1736–1819) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Steam Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 Scotland British Isles Europe Britain Lancashire spinner James Hargreaves conceives the idea of the spinning jenny, with multiple spindles worked from a single wheel Go to Hargreaves, James (1722–1778) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1766	Pierre le Roy's chronometer, as accurate as Harrison's and cheaper to construct, is set to become the standard model Go to Harrison, John (1693–1776) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Inventions and discoveries Europe France
1769	French inventor Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot successfully tests a steam wagon, probably the first working mechanical vehicle Go to Cugnot, Nicolas-Joseph (1725–1804) in The New Oxford Dictionary for Scientific Writers and Editors (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Steam Inventions and discoveries Europe France
1771	English entrepreneur Richard Arkwright adds water power to spinning by means of the water frame Go to Arkwright, Sir Richard (1732–92) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1776	Two Boulton and Watt engines are installed, the first of many in the mines and mills of England's developing industrial revolution Go to Watt, James (1736–1819) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Commerce and industry Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1779	The world's first iron bridge is assembled in a few months across the Severn at Coalbrookdale Go to Coalbrookdale in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain Samuel Crompton perfects the mule, a machine for spinning that combines the merits of Hargreave's jenny and Arkwright's water frame Go to Crompton, Samuel (1753–1827) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain
1782	French paper manufacturer Joseph Montgolfier sends a hot-air balloon 3000 feet (1000m) into the air, in front of a crowd in Annonay Go to Montgolfier, Michel Joseph de (1740–1810) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Inventions and discoveries Europe France
1783	Ten days after the first human ascent in a hot-air balloon the feat is repeated, again in Paris, in a version lifted by hydrogen Go to Montgolfier, Michel Joseph de (1740–1810) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Inventions and discoveries Europe France Louis XVI watches through his telescope the first balloon flight with living passengers – a sheep, a cock and a duck Go to Louis XVI (1754–93) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Inventions and discoveries Europe France A hot-air balloon rises from a Paris garden, carrying the first human aeronauts – Pilàtre de Rozier and the marquis d'Arlandes Go to Montgolfier, Michel Joseph de (1740–1810) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Inventions and discoveries Europe France
1784	Benjamin Franklin, irritated at needing two pairs of spectacles, commissions from a lens-grinder the first bifocals Go to Franklin, Benjamin (1706–90) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Science Medicine Inventions and discoveries North America United States English ironmaster Henry Cort patents a process for puddling iron which produces a pure and malleable metal Go to Cort, Henry (1740–1800) in The Oxford Companion to British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Britain The first mail coach leaves Bristol for London, introducing a new era of faster transport Go to Bristol in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1787	Scottish engineer James Watt devises the governor, the first example of industrial automation Go to Watt, James (1736–1819) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 Scotland British Isles Europe Britain
1791	French inventor Claude Chappe develops a hilltop signalling system, for which he coins the words telegraph and semaphore Go to semaphore in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Inventions and discoveries Europe France
1793	Eli Whitney invents the cotton gin, enormously speeding up the process of separating cotton fibres from the seeds Go to cotton gin in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 18th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1802	A steam tug designed by William Symington, the Charlotte Dundas, goes into service on the Forth and Clyde canal Go to Charlotte Dundas in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Steam Canals Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Scotland British Isles Europe Society Britain
1803	Cornish engineer Richard Trevithick drives a steam carriage in London, from Holborn to Paddington and back Go to Trevithick, Richard (1771–1833) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Steam Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1804	Richard Trevithick runs the first locomotive on rails, pulling heavy weights a distance of 9 miles (15 km) near Merthyr Tydfil in Wales Go to Trevithick, Richard (1771–1833) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Wales British Isles Europe Society Britain
1807	A Scottish clergyman, Alexander Forsyth, invents the percussion cap to help in his pursuit of wildfowl Go to percussion cap noun in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Weapons Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Scotland British Isles Europe Britain US engineer Robert Fulton launches a steamboat, the Clermont, on New York's Hudson river Go to Fulton, Robert (1765–1815) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Steam Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States
1811	Work begins at Cumberland in Maryland on the construction of America's National Road Go to Roads and Turnpikes, Early. in The Oxford Companion to United States History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States
c. 1813	William Hedley's Puffing Billy, the first steam locomotive running on smooth rails, goes to work at Wylam colliery Go to railways in The Oxford Dictionary of Local and Family History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Steam Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1814	The Times, England's oldest daily newspaper, becomes the first to print on a steam press Go to Times, The in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Steam Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1815	English chemist Humphry Davy invents a safety lamp that shields the naked flame and prevents explosions in mines Go to Davy, Sir Humphry (1778–1829) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Scottish engineer John McAdam builds the first macadamized road, in the Bristol region of southwest England Go to McAdam, John Loudon (1756–1836) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Scotland British Isles Europe Society Britain
1816	René Laënnec, reluctant to press his ear to the chest of a young female patient, finds a solution in the stethoscope Go to Laënnec, René Théophile Hyacinthe (1781–1826) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Science Medicine Inventions and discoveries Europe France
1822	French physicist Augustin Jean Fresnel develops a more efficient form of lens for use in lighthouses Go to Fresnel, Augustin Jean (1788–1827) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries Europe France
1825	Active (later called Locomotion) is the engine on the first passenger railway, between Stockton and Darlington Go to Stephenson, George in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain Work begins on the 363-mile Erie Canal that will link the Hudson River to Lake Erie Go to Erie Canal in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Canals Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States
1826	Scottish engineer Thomas Telford completes two suspension bridges in Wales, at Conwy and over the Menai Strait Go to Telford, Thomas (1757–1834) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Scotland British Isles Europe Britain
1829	The locomotive Rocket, built by George and Robert Stephenson, defeats two rivals in the Rainhill trials, near Liverpool Go to Stephenson, George (1781–1848) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1830	George Stephenson's railway between Liverpool and Manchester opens, with passengers pulled by eight locomotives based on Rocket Go to Stephenson, George in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1832	The Göta canal is completed, enabling ships to cross Scandinavia from the North Sea to the Baltic Go to Telford, Thomas in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Canals Travel and transport Engineering Europe Society The paddle steamer Alburkah becomes the first ocean-going iron ship, completing the journey from England to the Niger Go to paddle steamer noun in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Steam Exploration Engineering European empires from 1415 European empires in Africa Africa West Africa Europe Germany Society Empires
1833	27-year-old Isambard Kingdom Brunel wins his first major appointment, as chief engineer to the Great Western railway Go to Brunel, Isambard Kingdom (1806–59) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain 30-year-old Robert Stephenson is appointed chief engineer to the London and Birmingham railway Go to Stephenson, Robert (1803–59) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The first long-distance US railway, in South Carolina, carries its first passengers Go to railway in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States
1835	Fox Talbot exposes the first photographic negatives, among them a view looking out through an oriel window in Lacock Abbey Go to Talbot, William Henry Fox (1800–77) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Arts Photography Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1836	Work begins on the suspension bridge over the river Avon, at Clifton, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel Go to Brunel, Isambard Kingdom (1806–59) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1837	The first trains run between London and Birmingham on the railway designed by Robert Stephenson Go to Stephenson, Robert (1803–59) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1838	An Irish packet steamer, the Sirius, becomes the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, completing the journey to New York in 19 days Go to Sirius in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Steam Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Ireland Society Britain US inventor Samuel Morse gives the first public demonstration, in Philadelphia, of his electric telegraph Go to Morse, Samuel Finley Breese (1791–1872) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Communication Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1840	Rowland Hill introduces in Britain the world's first postage stamps - the Penny Black and Two Pence Blue Go to Hill, Sir Rowland (1795–1879) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Social and domestic Communication Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1841	Fox Talbot patents the 'calotype', introducing the negative-positive process that becomes standard in photography Go to calotype in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Arts Photography Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1843	The Brunel engineers, father and son, finish an 18-year project tunnelling under the Thames between Wapping and Rotherhithe Go to Brunel, Isambard Kingdom (1806–1859) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Isambard Kingdom Brunel launches the Great Britain, the first iron steamship designed for the transatlantic passenger trade Go to Brunel, Isambard Kingdom (1806–1859) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Steam Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1844	Samuel Morse and his assistant Alfred Vail complete the first telegraph line, between New York and Baltimore Go to Morse, Samuel Finley Breese (1791–1872) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Communication Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1846	The self-contained metal cartridge, with a percussion cap in its base, is patented by a Paris gunsmith named Houiller Go to cartridge in The Oxford Companion to Military History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries Weapons Europe France
1850	British engineer Robert Stephenson completes a box-girder railway bridge over the Menai Strait, between Anglesey and mainland Wales Go to Stephenson, Robert (1803–59) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Wales British Isles Europe Britain
1851	English photographer Frederick Scott Archer publishes the details of his collodion process, a marked improvement on the earlier calotype negative Go to collodion process in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Arts Photography Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Europe Britain German physicist Hermann von Helmholtz invents the ophthalmoscope, making it possible for a doctor to examine the inside of a patient's eye Go to Helmholtz, Hermann Ludwig Ferdinand von (1821–1894) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Science Medicine Inventions and discoveries Germany
1852	US entrepreneur Cornelius Vanderbilt conveys passengers across the American continent through Nicaragua by steamship and horse and carriage Go to Vanderbilt, Cornelius in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Steam Travel and transport Engineering Society Latin America Central America
1853	The hypodermic syringe with a plunger is simultaneously developed in France and in Scotland Go to hypodermic syringe in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Science Medicine Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Scotland British Isles Europe France Britain
1854	US inventor Elisha Otis dramatically demonstrates his new safety elevator, cutting the rope suspending his platform in New York's Crystal Palace Go to Otis, Elisha Graves in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States Ferdinand de Lesseps is granted the concession to construct a canal from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea Go to Lesseps, Ferdinand Marie, Vicomte de (1805–94) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Canals Engineering Africa North Africa Egypt Society
1855	The Panama Railroad company completes a line between the Atlantic and the Pacific, providing America's first transcontinental link Go to Panama Canal in Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Travel and transport Engineering Society Latin America Central America
1857	The Haughwout Store, a five-storey building in New York, installs the first Otis safety elevator Go to Badger, Daniel D. (1806–84) in A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1858	Brunel dies just before the maiden voyage of his gigantic final project, the luxury liner The Great Eastern Go to Great Eastern in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain US entrepreneur Cyrus W. Field succeeds in laying a telegraph cable across the Atlantic, but it fails after only a month Go to Atlantic Cable. in The Oxford Companion to United States History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Communication Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Europe Britain
1859	Joseph Bazalgette is given the task of providing London with a desperately needed new system of sewers Go to great in Brewer's Dictionary of London Phrase & Fable (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
c. 1860	German chemist Robert Wilhelm Bunsen and technician Peter Desdega perfect the non-luminous gas burner for use in the laboratory Go to Bunsen, Robert in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries Germany
1863	It is discovered in the US that wood pulp can be used to make paper, and the Boston Weekly Journal is the first to use the new substance Go to wood in The Oxford Companion to the Book (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century North America United States The Metropolitan Railway, the world's first to go underground, opens in London using steam trains between Paddington and Farringdon Street Go to London Underground in The Oxford Companion to Family and Local History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Steam Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1867	The invention of barbed wire is patented in the USA by Lucien Smith, designed to fence in cattle but also a protection for the wheat fields of the Midwest plains Go to patent in A Dictionary of Economics (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel patents dynamite, making the volatile explosive nitroglycerine safer by combining it with kieselguhr Go to Nobel, Alfred Bernhard (1833–1896) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Science Chemistry Inventions and discoveries Europe Sweden
1869	The Union Pacific and the Central Pacific railroads meet at Promontory Summit in Utah, completing the first transcontinental line Go to Promontory Point, Utah, meeting at (10 May 1869) in The Oxford Companion to the Photograph (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States Thousands of distinguished guests assemble at Port Said for the opening of the Suez Canal Go to Suez Canal in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Canals Social and domestic Engineering Africa North Africa Egypt Society The most famous of the three-masted tea-clippers, the Cutty Sark is launched at Dumbarton for service to and from China Go to Cutty Sark in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Commerce and industry Travel and transport Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1870	Adelaide and Darwin are linked across the entire Australian continent by the Overland Telegraph Line See this event in other timelines: 19th century Communication Australia and Oceania Australia
1871	Italian US immigrant Antonio Meucci files a patent in New York for the invention of the telephone Go to Meucci, Antonio in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Communication Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1875	William Crookes invents the radiometer, in which light causes four vanes to rotate in a bulb containing gas at low pressure Go to Crookes, Sir William (1832–1919) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain An agreement is signed between France and Britain to cooperate in the construction of a tunnel beneath the Channel Go to Channel Tunnel in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1876	Alexander Graham Bell makes the first practical use of his telephone, summoning his assistant from another room with the words 'Mr Watson, come here. I want to see you.' Go to Bell, Alexander Graham (1847–1922) in The Encyclopedia of the History of American Management (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Communication Inventions and discoveries North America United States The US inventor Thomas Edison opens an experimental laboratory at Menlo Park, New Jersey, calling it his 'invention factory' Go to Edison in A New Dictionary of Eponyms (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States Alexander Graham Bell demonstrates his new invention, the telephone, at the US Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia Go to Bell, Alexander Graham (1847–1922) in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Communication Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1877	The human voice is recorded for the first time when Thomas Edison recites 'Mary had a little lamb' into his newly patented phonograph Go to phonograph in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1878	English physicist Joseph Swan demonstrates a practical electric light bulb, using an incandescent carbon filament in a vacuum Go to Swan, Sir Joseph Wilson (1828–1914) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1879	A congress in Paris, with Ferdinand de Lesseps as president, decides to construct a canal from coast to coast in Panama Go to Panama Canal in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Canals Engineering Europe France Society Latin America Central America English physicist Joseph Swan receives a patent for bromide paper, which becomes the standard material for printing photographs Go to Swan, Sir Joseph Wilson (1828–1914) in The Oxford Companion to British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Arts Photography Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Thomas Edison develops a long-lasting carbon filament light bulb (traditionally 40 hours) and is able to light his Menlo Park laboratory with 30 bulbs Go to Edison, Thomas Alva (1847–1931) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1881	London's new Savoy Theatre is the first public building in the world to be lit throughout by electricity Go to Savoy Theatre in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theatre and Performance (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1883	Brooklyn Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world, is opened between Brooklyn and lower Manhattan Go to Brooklyn Bridge. in The Oxford Companion to United States History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Engineering North America United States
1884	US entrepreneur James 'Buck' Duke wins exclusive rights in a machine that can manufacture 100,000 cigarettes a day Go to Duke, James (1856–1925) in The Oxford Companion to United States History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Commerce and industry Inventions and discoveries Society North America United States
1885	German engineer Karl Friedrich Benz builds the Tri-Star, a three-wheeled vehicle with an internal combustion that is considered the first commercial automobile Go to Benz, Karl (1844–1929) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Germany Society
1886	German engineer Gottlied Wilhelm Daimler builds the first successful 4-wheel vehicle with an internal combustion engine Go to Daimler, Gottlieb (1834–1900) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Germany Society
1887	A German physiologist, Adolf Fick, grinds a pair of lenses to fit snugly in contact with a patient's eyeballs Go to Fick, Adolf Eugen (1829–1921) in A Dictionary of Zoology (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Science Medicine Inventions and discoveries Germany
1890	A vast cantilever bridge, spanning a mile of water, carries the railway across the Firth of Forth in Scotland Go to Forth Bridge [Places] in The Oxford Dictionary of Reference and Allusion (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 Scotland British Isles Europe Society Britain The world's first electric underground railway passes under the Thames, linking the City of London and Stockwell Go to London Underground in The Oxford Companion to Family and Local History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1891	Work begins in the Urals and at Vladivostock, laying track which will eventually join up as the Trans-Siberian railway Go to Trans‐Siberian Railway in A Dictionary of World History (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Travel and transport Engineering Asia East Asia Society German aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal achieves the first of many guided flights in a glider, from a hill near Potsdam Go to Lilienthal, Otto (1849–96) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Travel and transport Inventions and discoveries Germany Society
1893	Frank Hornby patents in Liverpool his Meccano construction system for children Go to Meccano (1901) in A Dictionary of Modern Design (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain George Westinghouse demonstrates the advantages of AC (Alternating Current) when he provides 100,000 lights for the Chicago World's Fair Go to Westinghouse, George (1846–1914) in The Oxford Companion to United States History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1894	London's Tower Bridge raises its roadway for the first time to let a ship pass up the Thames Go to Tower in Brewer's Dictionary of London Phrase & Fable (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1895	21-year-old Guglielmo Marconi succeeds in transmitting a radio signal more than a mile at his home near Bologna Go to Marconi, Guglielmo (1874–1937) in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Communication Inventions and discoveries Europe Italy
1896	US engineer Henry Ford test drives his first four-wheel internal-combustion vehicle, the Quadricycle, built in a coal shed behind his home Go to Ford, Henry (1863–1947) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States Otto Lilienthal dies when a wing fractures on his glider and he crashes from a height of 17 metres Go to Lilienthal, Otto (1849–96) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Travel and transport Inventions and discoveries Germany Society 22-year-old Guglielmo Marconi takes out a patent in Britain for the invention of radio Go to Marconi, Guglielmo (1874–1937) in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Communication Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1897	Turbinia, powered by the newly invented Parsons steam turbine, breaks the speed record when Queen Victoria reviews her fleet Go to Parsons, Sir Charles Algernon (1854–1931) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Steam Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1899	Italian inventor Guglielmo Marconi succeeds in transmitting a wireless telegraph message across the English Channel Go to Marconi, Guglielmo (1874–1937) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Victorian era Britain 1750-1900 Communication Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Marconi equips two ships to send radio reports to New York on the progress of the yachts racing for the America's Cup Go to Marconi, Guglielmo (1874–1937) in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century Communication Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1900	Daimler cars develop a new brand using the name Mercedes, that of the ten-year-old daughter of the investor and distributor Emil Jellinek Go to Daimler, Gottlieb (1834–1900) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century 1900s 20th century Engineering Germany Ferdinand Zeppelin's first dirigible makes its test flight from a floating hangar on the Lake of Constance Go to zeppelin in A New Dictionary of Eponyms (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century 1900s 20th century Inventions and discoveries Germany Wilbur and Orville Wright test a biplane glider at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina Go to Wright, Wilbur in The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 19th century 1900s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1901	Ransome Eli Olds manufactures the Curved Dash Oldsmobile on assembly line principles in Detroit Go to automobile in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Engineering North America United States Guglielmo Marconi transmits a radio message in Morse code 2100 miles, from Poldhu in Cornwall to St John's in Newfoundland Go to Marconi, Guglielmo (1874–1937) in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Communication War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain North America Canada
1902	French automobile pioneer Leon Serpollet sets a new land speed record, driving a steam car at 75 mph along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice Go to steam engine in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s Steam 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Europe France Society William K. Vanderbilt drives the first internal-combustion car to win the land speed record, at 76 mph at Ablis in France Go to internal-combustion engine in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Europe France Society The first Aswan dam, at this time the world's largest, is completed on the Nile See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Engineering Africa North Africa Egypt
1903	William Harley and three Davidson brothers begin the commercial production in Milwaukee of motorcycles, but complete only three by the end of the year Go to Harley‐Davidson (1902) in A Dictionary of Modern Design (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States Britain's first national motor show is organized at the Crystal Palace, moving two years later to Olympia Go to Crystal Palace in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain Orville Wright travels 40 yards in the first successful powered flight, at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina Go to Wright, Wilbur in The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1904	Charles Stewart Rolls, a keen driver, meets electrical engineer Henry Royce in a historic encounter in Manchester Go to Royce, Sir (Frederick) Henry (1863–1933) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Engineering War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain An observatory with a 100-inch reflecting telescope is set up by George Ellery Hale on Mount Wilson in California Go to Hale, George Ellery (1868–1938) in A Dictionary of Astronomy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Astronomy and space North America United States US inventor King C. Gillette receives a patent for a disposable safety razor Go to safety razor noun in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Social and domestic Inventions and discoveries Society North America United States
1905	English engineer Herbert Austin sets up a factory to manufacture cars at Longbridge, south of Birmingham Go to Austin, Herbert (1866–1941) in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Engineering War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The first boat to be powered by a combustion engine, the 125-ton vessel Venoga, is launched on Lake Geneva Go to internal-combustion engine in A Dictionary of Physics (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Travel and transport Inventions and discoveries Switzerland Society Percival Lowell predicts the existence of an unknown planet, almost exactly where Pluto is discovered 25 years later Go to Lowell, Percival (1855–1916) in A Dictionary of Astronomy (2 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Astronomy and space North America United States
1906	The Simplon rail tunnel, the longest in the world (20 km), is opened between Switzerland and Italy Go to railway in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Engineering Europe Italy Switzerland The Cunard company launches the Lusitania on the Clyde as a sister ship to the Mauretania Go to Lusitania in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1907	US inventor Lee De Forest patents the Audion, a sensitive vacuum-tube radio receiver Go to De Forest, Lee (1873–1961) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Communication Inventions and discoveries North America United States Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce build their most famous car, the Silver Ghost, in the factory they have set up in Derby Go to Royce, Sir Frederick Henry (1863–1933) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Engineering War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Samuel Simon, working in Manchester, takes out a patent for the use of silk to support a stencil Go to silk‐screen printing in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Inventions and discoveries War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The British liner Lusitania sets a new record for the Atlantic crossing, on the first of four such occasions Go to Lusitania in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1908	Swiss chemist Jacques Brandenberger patents cellophane, a flexible transparent film made from cellulose Go to Cellophane in A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Social and domestic Inventions and discoveries Switzerland Society The first Model T Ford rolls off the production line at the Piquette Avenue Plant in Detroit Go to Ford, Henry (1863–1947) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States
c. 1909	Leo Baekeland announces his discovery of Bakelite, calling it 'the material of a thousand uses' Go to Baekeland,Leo Hendrik (1863–1944) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1900s 20th century Social and domestic Society North America United States Louis Blériot is the first to fly across the English Channel, winning the £1000 prize offered by the Daily Mail Go to Blériot, Louis (1872–1936) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1900s 20th century Exploration Engineering War Europe France Society
1910	Lee De Forest broadcasts Enrico Caruso live from the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, but with mixed success owing to the poor quality Go to De Forest, Lee (1873–1961) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Performing arts Communication North America United States The wife of Harvey Crippen, an American doctor working in north London, vanishes mysteriously Go to Crippen, Hawley Harvey (1862–1910) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: Edwardian era 1910s 20th century Social and domestic War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain Charles Stewart Rolls becomes the first man to fly non-stop across the English Channel and back Go to Rolls, Charles Stewart (1877–1910) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain Telegraph messages lead to the arrest of Dr Crippen and his mistress Ethel Le Neve in mid-Atlantic Go to Crippen, Hawley Harvey (1862–1910) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Social and domestic Communication Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain Ferdinand Zeppelin's dirigible Deutschland provides the first commercial air service for passengers Go to Zeppelin, Ferdinand, Count von (1838–1917) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Germany Society
1911	US inventor Isaac Newton Lewis patents a lighter version of the machine gun Go to Lewis gun in The Oxford Companion to Military History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Inventions and discoveries Weapons North America United States The Titanic is launched at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast Go to Titanic in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1912	US aeroplane designer Glenn Curtis demonstrates the potential of the first successful flying boat, The Flying Fish Go to flying boats in The Oxford Companion to World War II (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Travel and transport Inventions and discoveries Society North America United States William Morris opens a factory at Cowley, near Oxford, to produce motor cars Go to Nuffield, William Richard Morris, Viscount (1877–1963) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The first sea-going diesel-powered ship, the Selandia, is constructed and launched in Denmark Go to diesel engine in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Travel and transport Inventions and discoveries Europe Denmark Society
1913	The US navy begins transmitting by radio a regular time signal, much used by the nation's watchmakers and menders. Go to Naval Observatory in The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Communication North America United States The Morris company launches the Morris Oxford, later known as the Bullnose Morris from the shape of its radiator Go to Nuffield, William Richard Morris, Viscount (1877–1963) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain An underground railway opens in Buenos Aires, the first subway in Latin America Go to Buenos Aires in Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Society Latin America Argentina Brazil South America
1914	The Panama Canal opens to shipping on a neutral basis just two weeks after the start of World War I Go to Panama Canal in The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Commerce and industry Travel and transport Engineering Society Latin America Central America
1915	Alexander Graham Bell again summons his assistant Thomas Watson (as in 1876), but this time he is in New York and Watson in San Francisco See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Communication North America United States The Corning Glass Company launches Pyrex, a new range of heat-resistant kitchen ware made from borosilicate glass Go to Corning Glass (1851) in A Dictionary of Modern Design (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Social and domestic Inventions and discoveries Society North America United States Radiotelephone messages are transmitted from Arlington in Virginia to the Eiffel Tower in Paris Go to Information and Communication Technology in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Economic History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Communication Europe France North America United States Thomas Edison invents a machine to record telephone conversations, calling it the telescribe Go to Edison, Thomas Alva (1847–1931) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States Winston Churchill is a firm supporter of a new invention, the tank, encouraging its initial development while still at the Admiralty Go to tanks in The Oxford Companion to Military History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: First World War 1910s 20th century Inventions and discoveries War Weapons Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles British prime ministers - from 1830 Europe Rulers and politicians Wars since 1900 Britain April 1 - the French aviator Roland Garros fires a machine gun through the propeller in his fighter plane, using metal plates to deflect any bullets that hit the propeller Go to Air Warfare in The Oxford Companion to American Military History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: First World War 1910s 20th century Inventions and discoveries War Weapons Europe France Wars since 1900 June - Dutch aircraft designer Anton Fokker, working for the Germans, vastly improves the Roland Garros technique for firing machine guns through the propellers of fighter planes Go to air power in The Oxford Companion to Military History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Inventions and discoveries Weapons Germany
1916	William Boeing flies an aircraft built by himself, and a month later sets up in Seattle his own Aero Product company Go to Boeing, William Edward (1881–1956) in The Encyclopedia of the History of American Management (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Commerce and industry Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States The Federal-Aid Highway Act sets up the first national road system in the US Go to Highway System. in The Oxford Companion to United States History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States Captain Peter Nissen, a Canadian mining engineer, designs the Nissen Hut for the Allied armies Go to Nissen hut in A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America Canada September 15 - eleven British tanks go into pioneering but ineffective action at the battle of the Somme Go to Somme, Battle of the in A Dictionary of Contemporary World History (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: First World War 1910s 20th century Inventions and discoveries War Europe France Wars since 1900
1917	November 20 - suitable ground is selected by the British at the battle of Cambrai for the first serious deployment of their new tanks Go to Cambrai, battle of (1917) in The Oxford Companion to Military History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: First World War 1910s 20th century Inventions and discoveries War Europe France Wars since 1900
1919	John Alcock and Arthur Whitten Brown fly from St John's in Newfoundland to Clifden in Ireland Go to Alcock, Sir John William (1892–1919) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering British Isles Europe Ireland Society Britain North America Canada Canadian National Railways is formed from two of the country's largest rail systems Go to Canadian National Railways in The Oxford Companion to Canadian History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1910s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Society North America Canada
1921	The British airship R-38 bursts into flames on its fourth flight and crashes into the Humber See this event in other timelines: 20th century Travel and transport Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1922	British manufacturer Herbert Austin launches Britain's first car for the popular market, the Austin Seven or 'Baby Austin' Go to Austin, Herbert, 1st Baron (1866–1941) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1924	German scientist Felix Wankel builds a model of a rotary engine, thirty years before the first prototype is manufactured Go to Wankel rotary engine in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Inventions and discoveries Germany
1925	The German navy adapts a civilian encryption machine, Enigma, for military purposes Go to ENIGMA in The Oxford Companion to World War II (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century War Germany
1926	John Logie Baird gives the world's first demonstration of television to a group assembled in his attic rooms in London Go to Baird,John Logie (1888–1946) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Communication Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain Russian World War I pilot Sergey Ilyushin begins a distinguished career as an aircraft designer Go to Ilyushin, Sergei Vladimirovich (1894–1977) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Engineering Europe Russia
1927	US aviator Charles Lindbergh, in his single-engine plane Spirit of St Louis, flies solo across the Atlantic from New York to Paris Go to Lindbergh, Charles Augustus (1902–1974) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States
1928	British inventor John Logie Baird secures a patent for fibreoptic imaging Go to Baird,John Logie (1888–1946) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1929	The British Broadcasting Corporation uses Logie Baird's system for its first trial TV broadcasts Go to Baird,John Logie (1888–1946) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Performing arts Communication Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain US explorer Richard E. Byrd and two companions make the first flight over the South Pole, in a Ford Tri-Motor Go to Byrd, Richard Evelyn (1888–1957) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1920s 20th century Exploration Engineering Society
1930	British inventor Frank Whittle takes out a patent for a jet engine Go to Whittle, Sir Frank (1907–1996) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Inventions and discoveries British Isles Europe Britain English pioneer aviator Amy Johnson makes a 19-day solo flight in a Gipsy Moth from Croydon (part of London) to Darwin, Australia Go to Johnson, Amy (1903–1941) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Australia and Oceania Europe Society Australia Britain The airship R101, designed by a UK Air Ministry team, explodes on its maiden voyage, killing all but four of those on board Go to R101 airship in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Travel and transport Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain US inventor Richard Drew develops Scotch Brand Cellulose Tape, the world's first transparent tape Go to Scotch tape in Brewer's Dictionary of Modern Phrase & Fable (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1931	Geoffrey De Havilland designs the Tiger Moth, on which nearly all British pilots were trained during World War II Go to De Havilland, Geoffrey (1882–1965) in A Dictionary of Modern Design (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The George Washington Bridge links New York with New Jersey, and is the world's longest suspension bridge with a main span of 3500 feet (1066m) Go to Ammann, Othmar (1879–1965) in A Dictionary of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Engineering North America United States
1932	One of the defining landmarks of Sydney, in Australia, is opened – the single-span steel arch bridge across the city's harbour Go to Sydney Harbour Bridge in The Oxford Companion to Australian History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Engineering Australia and Oceania Australia US aviator Amelia Earhart lands in Ireland 15 hours after leaving Newfoundland, to become the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Go to Earhart, Amelia (1897–1937) in The Oxford Companion to United States History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States
1933	Polish cryptographers succeed in breaking some of the Enigma code used by the German military Go to Enigma in The Oxford Companion to Military History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s Second World War 20th century War Europe Poland Wars since 1900
1935	The mighty Boulder Dam (renamed Hoover Dam in 1947) is completed on the Colorado River Go to Hoover Dam in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Engineering North America United States US industrialist Howard Hughes sets a new speed record of 352 mph, flying a plane designed by himself Go to Hughes, Howard Robard (1905–1976) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Society North America United States
1936	The prototype of the Spitfire, designed by Reginald Mitchell, has its first test flight Go to Mitchell, Reginald Joseph (1895–1937) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s Second World War 20th century Engineering War Weapons Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Wars since 1900 Britain
1937	The German airship Hindenburg bursts into flames over New Jersey, bringing to an end the era of rigid airships Go to Zeppelin in The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Travel and transport Society North America United States The Golden Gate Bridge, linking San Francisco and Marin County, is the world's longest suspension bridge with a main span of 4200 feet (1280m) Go to Golden Gate in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Engineering North America United States Rocket engineer Wernher von Braun is appointed director of Germany's weapon research centre at Peenemünde Go to Braun, Wernher von (b. 23 Mar. 1912) in A Dictionary of Contemporary World History (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Engineering Germany
1938	The Du Pont Corporation begins manufacture of a new synthetic silk yarn, subsequently known as nylon Go to Nylon in A Dictionary of Modern Design (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States Jiang Jieshi (Chiang Kai-shek) builds the Burma Road as a supply route Go to Burma Road in The Oxford Companion to World War II (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Engineering Asia East Asia Southeast Asia Lord Nuffield donates to Commonwealth hospitals 'iron lungs', built at his Morris Oxford factory Go to iron lung in A Dictionary of Public Health (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Science Medicine Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1939	US designer Igor Sikorsky tests the first practical helicopter, using a rotor on a long tail boom to counter torque Go to Sikorsky, Igor Ivanovich (1889–1972) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Engineering North America United States British racing driver Malcolm Campbell sets a new water speed record of 141 mph Go to Campbell, Sir Malcolm (1885–1948) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain August - helped by the results of Polish cryptographers, Bletchley Park begins to gain invaluable access to German military secrets Go to Bletchley Park in The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s Second World War 20th century War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Wars since 1900 Britain August 27: the He-178, designed by Hans von Ohain, becomes the first jet engine to fly, with a test flight lasting five minutes Go to von Ohain, Hans Joachim Pabst (1911–1998) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1930s Second World War 20th century Engineering War Germany Wars since 1900
1940	November 25 - the de Havilland Mosquito, a multi-purpose wooden aeroplane widely used by the RAF in World War II, makes its first flight Go to De Havilland, Sir Geoffrey (1882–1965) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s Second World War 20th century Engineering War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Wars since 1900 Britain
1941	The US army invests in a significant new vehicle, placing an order for 16,000 jeeps Go to Jeep in The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Engineering North America United States May 15 - a Gloster E.28/39 air frame becomes the first craft to fly with a Whittle jet engine Go to Whittle, Sir Frank (1907–1996) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s Second World War 20th century Engineering War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Wars since 1900 Britain December - Enigma is now being decoded fast enough at Bletchley to give the Allies advance warning of German plans Go to ENIGMA in The Oxford Companion to World War II (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s Second World War 20th century War British Isles Europe Wars since 1900 Britain
1942	April - British engineer Barnes Wallis designs a bouncing and rotating bomb for use against German dams Go to Wallis, Barnes (1887–1979) in The Oxford Companion to World War II (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s Second World War 20th century Inventions and discoveries War Weapons Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Wars since 1900 Britain October 3 - the German V-2 rocket is successfully tested by Wernher von Braun and his team at Peenemünde Go to V-weapons in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Engineering Weapons Germany
1944	January 12 - the RAF's first jet, the Gloster Meteor, flies with a Whittle engine Go to Whittle, Sir Frank (1907–96) in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s Second World War 20th century Engineering War Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Wars since 1900 Britain July 25 - the Messerschmitt Me 262 fighter-bomber flies into combat, introducing the jet era in aerial warfare Go to Messerschmitt in A New Dictionary of Eponyms (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s Second World War 20th century Engineering War Germany Wars since 1900
1945	September - Wernher von Braun and his team of scientists are taken to the USA to develop the German V-2 rocket into an intercontinental ballistic missile Go to von Braun, Werner Magnus Maximilian (1912–1977) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Engineering North America United States
1946	ENIAC is the world's first general-purpose electronic calculator Go to ENIAC in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1947	US scientist Edwin Land demonstrates a new device, the Polaroid camera, to the Optical Society of America Go to instant photography in The Oxford Companion to the Photograph (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States Hungarian-born British engineer Dennis Gabor creates the first three-dimensional image from reflected light, subsequently known as a hologram Go to Gabor, Dennis (1900–1979) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Science Physics Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain
1948	The Morris Minor is launched, designed by Alec Issigonis, and becomes one of Britain's best-selling cars Go to Issigonis, Sir Alec Arnold Constantine (1906–1988) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain Prime minister Ben Chifley sees Australia's first mass-produced car, the Holden, roll off the production line Go to Holden in The Oxford Companion to Australian History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Australia and Oceania Society Australia
1949	The world's first commercial jet airliner, the Comet, designed by de Havilland, goes into service with BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) Go to De Havilland, Sir Geoffrey (1882–1965) in Who's Who in the Twentieth Century (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1940s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain
1954	The German firm NSU builds the first working example of the rotary engine invented in 1924 by Felix Wankel Go to Wankel rotary engine in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Engineering Germany
1956	The first true synthesizer is put on the market by RCA Victor Go to synthesizer in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Commerce and industry Inventions and discoveries Society North America United States
1959	The Mini is launched, designed by Alec Issigonis, and becomes the best-selling British car of all time Go to Issigonis, Alec (1906–88) in A Dictionary of Modern Design (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Commerce and industry Social and domestic Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Society Britain The first prototype of the Hovercraft, designed by British engineer Christopher Cockerell, crosses the English Channel Go to Cockerell, Sir Christopher Sydney (1910–1999) in A Dictionary of Scientists (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Engineering Inventions and discoveries Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The St Lawrence Seaway, a joint Canadian and US project, links the Great Lakes and the sea Go to St Lawrence Seaway in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1950s 20th century Engineering North America Canada
1962	The Trans-Canada Highway is completed, stretching some 5000 miles across the continent Go to Trans-Canada Highway in The Oxford Companion to Canadian History (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Society North America Canada
1964	The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, linking Brooklyn and Staten Island, is the world's longest suspension bridge with a main span of 4260 feet (1298m) Go to Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in Oxford Dictionary of English (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Engineering North America United States
1965	The first communications satellite, Early Bird, is launched from Cape Canaveral Go to Early Bird in A Dictionary of Space Exploration (3 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Communication North America United States
1969	The Anglo-French airliner Concorde makes its first supersonic test flight Go to Concorde in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Travel and transport Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe France Society Britain An engineer in the newly formed Intel Corporation designs the first programmable microchip Go to microchip in The Oxford Companion to the History of Modern Science (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States The ARPANET, linking computers in four US cities, is the first step towards the internet Go to ARPANET in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1960s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1976	Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs design and market a personal computer, calling it the Apple Go to Apple Inc. in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century Commerce and industry Communication Society North America United States
1979 April 29	The first flight by a solar-powered piloted aircraft is achieved when Larry Mauro's Solar Riser is able to climb to about 40 feet and glide for half a mile Go to solar energy in A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1970s 20th century
1981	The Humber Bridge crosses the Humber estuary in Britain, and is the world's longest suspension bridge with a main span of 4626 feet (1410m) Go to Humber in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe Britain The IBM PC 5150, the first Personal Computer, is launched with a chip by Intel and software by Microsoft Go to Microsoft in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1983	The first all-digital synthesizer, the DX7, is put on the market by Yamaha Go to synthesizer in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Commerce and industry Inventions and discoveries Asia East Asia Japan Society The US system MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) becomes the industry standard for electronic communication in music Go to MIDI in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Music Inventions and discoveries North America United States Philips and Sony jointly introduce a new device, the compact disc Go to compact disc in The Oxford Companion to Music (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Performing arts Music Inventions and discoveries Asia East Asia Japan Europe Netherlands A new version of the Apple adds the mouse to personal computers Go to Apple Inc. in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Inventions and discoveries North America United States
1989	At CERN, in Geneva, Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau build ENQUIRE, a first step towards the future World Wide Web Go to Berners-Lee, Sir Tim (1955– ) in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1980s 20th century Science Communication Switzerland
1990	Tim Berners-Lee, working at CERN in Geneva, publishes the first formal proposal for the World Wide Web Go to Berners-Lee, Sir Tim (1955– ) in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Science Communication Switzerland
1991	Tim Berners-Lee, using CERN computers, puts online the first website at http://info.cern.ch Go to Berners-Lee, Sir Tim (1955– ) in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Science Communication Switzerland
1993	Work begins on China's ambitious and controversial Three Gorges Dam project Go to Three Gorges project in A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Engineering Asia East Asia China
1994	France's President Mitterrand and the British queen Elizabeth II together open the tunnel under the English Channel Go to Channel Tunnel in A Dictionary of British History (1 rev ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Engineering Great Britain - from 1707 United Kingdom - from 1801 British Isles Europe France Britain
1997	Larry Page and Sergey Brin, both Ph.D. students at Stanford University, register the domain name google.com Go to Google in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Communication North America United States
1998	The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, linking Shikoku and Honshu in Japan, creates a new record as the longest suspension bridge Go to Shikoku in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 1990s 20th century Engineering Asia East Asia Japan
2001	Wikipedia, the 'Free Encyclopedia', is put online by Jimmy Wales as an empty shell which members of the public are invited to fill with content Go to Wikipedia in A Dictionary of the Internet (2 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Communication North America United States
2005	The superjumbo Airbus A380 makes its first test flight from Toulouse See this event in other timelines: 21st century Travel and transport Engineering Europe France Society
2006	Structural work is completed on China's Three Gorges Dam, by far the largest hydroelectric dam in the world Go to Three Gorges project in A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Engineering Asia East Asia China Google pays $1.65 billion for the website YouTube, launched less than two years previously Go to YouTube in A Dictionary of Computing (6 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Commerce and industry Communication Society North America United States
2010	An explosion destroys BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig, killing eleven people and starting a massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico Go to oil spill in A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Engineering Latin America Central America Mexico The Solar Impulse, promoted by Bertrand Piccard and piloted by André Borschberg, becomes the first solar-powered aircraft to fly for more than 24 hours Go to solar energy in A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Europe BP announces that a newly fitted cap has finally stopped the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico Go to oil spill in A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Latin America Caribbean Mexico North America United States US Federal estimates are that more than 200 million gallons of oil have spilled into the sea from the Deepwater Horizon disaster (the Exxon Valdez figure was 11 million) Go to Exxon Valdez in A Dictionary of Environment and Conservation (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Latin America Caribbean North America United States Thirty-three miners are brought safely to the surface after being trapped deep underground for 69 days in the San José mine in Chile Go to Chile in World Encyclopedia (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Social and domestic Society Latin America Chile South America
2011	The Japanese tsunami results in a nuclear crisis and massive evacuation because of meltdowns in three reactors at the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant Go to meltdown in A Dictionary of Public Health (1 ed.) See this event in other timelines: 21st century Social and domestic Asia East Asia Japan Society

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date: 17 May 2025

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