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.
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.
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.
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.