“Knowledge is powerful and self-education is the only education there is.” — Isaac Asimov
We have all benefitted from the unprecedented advances in technology, planetary exploration, and medicine that have taken place during our lifetime. Between 1945 and 1971 there were many breakthroughs, and the progress has accelerated ever since.
For us seniors, it is a challenge to understand and keep up with the changes, and to a lesser extent, for our younger generation as well.
History can provide a thread of knowledge and excitement for the privilege and pride to be part of it. For that reason, I have researched a timeline of significant events for our readers (and myself!) to think about, share with the next generation, and explore deeper if so motivated.
Space Exploration
1893 Zeppelin airship crosses from Europe to America
1939 Turbo (jet) engine aircraft introduced
1947 The sound barrier broken by test pilot Chuck Yeager
1957 Sputnik, Russia: the first satellite in low earth orbit
1960 Yuri Gagarin of Russia orbits the earth
1962 John Glenn of the USA orbits the earth
1969 Apollo 12 USA landing and first walk on the moon
1998 John Glenn at age 77 takes second space flight of 9-day mission
2000 ISS international space station in low orbit
Planetary Exploration
1977 Voyager 1 and 2 explore outer solar and interstellar system.
2004 European Space Agency launches Rosetta, a cosmic space probe
2014 Rosetta lands a space probe on a comet for scientific exploration
Technology
1820 The principle of electricity is discovered
1879 Thomas Edison demonstrates the incandescent light bulb
1880 Alexander Graham Bell invents telephone transmission
1900 Radio wireless transmission is invented
1920 Television followed by radar…computer…and internet
Medicine
1895 Dr. Roentgen discovers x-rays for radiology and radiography
1940 Influenza vaccine created
1952 Polio vaccine created by Dr. Salk
1967 Dr. Barnard performs first heart transplant on a human
1979 Small pox eliminated
1960 First heart bypass surgery
1963 Computer-assisted robotic surgery born
Today: Ongoing stem cell research referred to as “The double spiral key to life.”
I can lay no claim for this list to be complete. Please educate me on any omission or corrections.
George can be reached at [email protected]
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