The first synthetic dye, mauveine, was accidentally discovered by 18-year-old William Perkin in 1856.

The first Paralympic Games were held in 1960.

Fact #935 · History

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake is the strongest ever recorded.

Fact #839 · History

The marathon race commemorates a legendary run in ancient Greece.

Fact #926 · History

The 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption disrupted European air travel.

Fact #846 · History

The Wright brothers made their first powered flight in 1903.

Fact #608 · History

In 1961, a U.S. nuclear bomb was accidentally dropped in North Carolina and nearly detonated.

Fact #767 · History

The Code of Hammurabi established early written laws.

Fact #652 · History

In 1848, a false report of gold in North Carolina briefly triggered excitement before the California Gold Rush.

Fact #789 · History