Vasco Nunez de Balboa Reaches the Pacific Ocean
On September 25, 1513, Balboa became the first European to sight the Pacific Ocean from the Americas, from a peak in Panama.
Ferdinand Magellan Sails from Spain to Circumnavigate the Globe
On September 20, 1519, Magellan sailed from Spain with five ships on the voyage that would become the first circumnavigation of the earth.
Magellan Finds the Strait at the End of South America
On October 21, 1520, Ferdinand Magellan's fleet entered the strait at the southern tip of South America, opening a route to the Pacific.
All Saints' Channel
Magellan's ships entered the strait that now carries his name on November 1, 1520, and reached the Pacific four weeks later.
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.
Francis Drake Returns to Plymouth After Circumnavigating the Globe
On September 26, 1580, Francis Drake returned to Plymouth after becoming the first Englishman to circumnavigate the globe.
Champollion Announces That He Has Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs
On September 27, 1822, Champollion announced to the French Academy that he had deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Neptune Is Found Where the Mathematics Said It Would Be
On September 23, 1846, Neptune was observed at Berlin within a degree of the position predicted by Le Verrier's mathematics.
Henri Giffard Flies the First Powered Airship
On September 24, 1852, Henri Giffard flew the first powered airship, 27 kilometres from Paris to Trappes.
The Journal Nature Is Published
On November 4, 1869, the first issue of the journal Nature appeared in London, edited by the astronomer Norman Lockyer.
A Filament That Would Not Burn Out
Edison lit a carbon filament lamp for 13 and a half hours on October 21, 1879, making electric lighting practical.
Alfred Wegener Is Born
Alfred Wegener, born on November 1, 1880, argued that the continents had once been joined and had drifted apart.
Einstein Publishes the Paper That Introduces E=mc2
On September 27, 1905, Einstein's paper on mass and energy was published, introducing the relation E=mc squared.
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.
Prehistoric Cave Paintings Are Found at Lascaux
On September 12, 1940, teenagers discovered the Lascaux cave paintings in France, some of the finest prehistoric art known.
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 Chinese Academy of Sciences Is Founded
On November 1, 1949, the Chinese Academy of Sciences was founded in Beijing with Guo Moruo as its first president.
Scientists Uncover the Lantian Man Skull in China
On November 3, 1964, Chinese scientists reported the Lantian Man skull, an early human fossil.
Viking 2 Lands on Mars at Utopia Planitia
On September 3, 1976, Viking 2 landed on Mars at Utopia Planitia and ran the first experiments designed to detect life there.
NASA Launches Voyager 1 Toward the Outer Planets
On September 5, 1977, NASA launched Voyager 1, which later became the first human-made object to reach interstellar space.
Hikers Find Otzi the Iceman in the Alps
On September 19, 1991, hikers found Otzi the Iceman in the Otztal Alps, a natural mummy about 5,300 years old.
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.