The Victoria Completes the First Circumnavigation of the Globe
On September 6, 1522, the Victoria returned to Spain, the first ship to circumnavigate the globe, with 18 survivors and a cargo of cloves.
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway Opens
On September 15, 1830, the Liverpool to Manchester railway opened, the first modern intercity line, and killed MP William Huskisson.
Elias Howe Patents the Lockstitch Sewing Machine
On September 10, 1846, Elias Howe patented the lockstitch sewing machine, the design that made machine sewing practical.
Tanks Are Used in Battle for the First Time
On September 15, 1916, British tanks were used for the first time in battle at Flers-Courcelette on the Somme.
Leo Szilard Conceives the Nuclear Chain Reaction
On September 12, 1933, Leo Szilard conceived the nuclear chain reaction while crossing a street in Bloomsbury, London.
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress Makes Its First Flight
On September 21, 1942, the first B-29 Superfortress flew from Seattle, the largest and most advanced bomber of the Second World War.
A Moth Is Found in the Harvard Mark II Computer
On September 9, 1947, a moth found in a relay of the Harvard Mark II became the first documented computer bug.
The United States Conducts Its First Underground Nuclear Test
On September 19, 1957, the US fired Rainier, its first fully contained underground nuclear test, in a tunnel in Nevada.
Jack Kilby Builds the First Working Integrated Circuit
On September 12, 1958, Jack Kilby ran the first working integrated circuit, putting every component on one piece of semiconductor.
The Montreal Protocol Is Signed to Save the Ozone Layer
On September 16, 1987, nations signed the Montreal Protocol to phase out CFCs and protect the ozone layer. It is the only UN treaty ratified by every country.
Mars Global Surveyor Reaches Mars Orbit
On September 11, 1997, Mars Global Surveyor entered orbit around Mars and went on to map the whole planet for nine years.
The Large Hadron Collider Is Powered Up
On September 10, 2008, the Large Hadron Collider at CERN ran its first beam around its 27 km ring, starting the biggest physics experiment.
LIGO Detects Gravitational Waves for the First Time
On September 14, 2015, LIGO detected gravitational waves from merging black holes, confirming a prediction Einstein made in 1916.