Skylab Returns to Earth
On July 11, 1979, Skylab, the first manned US space laboratory, returned to Earth after six years in space. The success of the Skylab project encouraged the continued inclusion of humans in space study.
Science
Birth of Ruth Benedict
Anthropologist Ruth Fulton Benedict was born on June 5, 1887, in New York City, New York. Benedict developed her own theories on culture and conducted special research for the US government during World War II.
Birth of Eugenie Clark
Eugenie “Genie” Clark was born on May 4, 1922, in New York, New York. Nicknamed “The Shark Lady,” she was a world-renowned marine biologist best known for her work with sharks and trailblazing in the field of scuba diving for marine research.
Birth of Eadweard Muybridge
Photographer Eadweard Muybridge was born on April 9, 1830, in Kingston upon the Thames, Surrey, England. Muybridge was a photography pioneer, improving the technology and completing early motion studies on film.
The American Chemical Society
On April 6, 1876, the American Chemical Society was founded in New York City. It was the first organization in the country devoted entirely to chemistry.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Incorporated
On March 21, 1826, the Rensselaer School was incorporated in Troy, New York. Later named the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, it’s considered the oldest continuously operating technological college in America and the English-speaking world.
Discovery of Uranus
On March 13, 1781, William Hershel discovered Uranus, the first of the planets to be discovered in modern times.
Birth of Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473, in Thorn, Poland. A pioneering astronomer, he suggested that the planets revolve around the sun at a time many believed the planets revolved around the Earth.
National Donor Day
On February 14, 1998, the first National Donor Day was held in the US. The annual event is held to raise awareness of the need for organ and tissue donations and to honor those who have donated, those who have received donations, and those we lost before donations became available.