Have you ever wondered? What about your parents’ year of birth and the generations before that?
My father-in-law was born in 1923, he’s seen so many innovations and inventions over his 93 years. From the first ‘Talkie’ in 1923 - Mar 13 to be precise – when Lee de Forest demonstrated his sound-on-film moving pictures in NYC. How awesome that must have been, to watch the newsreels and moving pictures with added sound. To today’s innovation… Artificial Intelligence writing a Christmas song Here.
If every invention and innovation or even each notable moment from every year of your birth were listed, what would it look like?
As a sample, here are a few things I found out about ‘Pop’ Gent’s birth year.
Just one day before he was born, this happened:
The first Transatlantic broadcasting from England to America. Not a big deal these days, especially when you think we’re still tracking vehicles sent to planets so remote that it will be the descendants of the scientists that sent the craft who will hear of their journey’s end.
Notably, in the same year dad-in-law was born, Feb 9, Norman E. Shumway, pioneer surgeon of cardiac transplant fame, was born. Human advances in technology are astonishing. A little more than a century before Shumway and Pop were born, Mary Shelley was publishing her book on the very same subject – albeit from a different perspective.
Feb 10, Wilhelm Konrad von Röntgen, discoverer of the X Ray died. Again, we had in our midst such wonderfully intelligent, curious people.
Feb 13, Charles "Chuck" Yeager, American test pilot, was born, the first man to break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947. Not forgetting the bold, fearless people. Think about it, without curiosity, without fearlessness (or bravery, whichever label you choose) we wouldn’t be anywhere near as advanced.
Feb 16, In Egypt the burial chamber of King Tutankhamen's tomb was unsealed by archeologist Howard Carter. Explorers too, we always need more explorers.
Lenin died in March. An iconic revolutionary leader. If you think politics is easy, take a deeper look…
Apr 5, George Edward Stanhope Molyneux Herbert (56), England’s 5th Earl of Lord Carnarvon, died in Egypt from an infected mosquito bite. He financed the excavation of the Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. Now, I’m not one to believe in curses, and I’m sure there’s a good explanation for this…
Apr 7, The first brain tumor operation under local anesthetic was performed at Beth Israel Hospital in NYC by Dr K. Winfield Ney. To remind you, this procedure happened almost a century ago. When I look back on history, I include turn of the 20th century – the Titanic sank a decade before, the ‘Great War’ ended five years previously and England was still recovering.
One for the internet! Nov 8, Jack S. Kilby (d.2005) was born in Jefferson City, Mo. In 2000 he received the Nobel Prize in Physics for his invention of the microchip (1958). They took their time recognizing that, didn’t they?
Apr 15, Insulin became generally available for diabetics. This, remember, is almost a century ago… mind-blowing.
Jun 3, In Italy, dictator Benito Mussolini granted women the right to vote. After previously announcing ‘The time just wasn’t quite right’ for them to get the vote. I wonder what happened to change his mind?
Jul 29, Albert Einstein spoke on pacifism in Berlin. That guy, Einstein, he was a clever chap.
Sep 1, Rocky Marciano, world heavyweight boxing champion was born. I’ve included Rocky Marciano because he too was iconic and known throughout the world, not just in his country of birth. Did you know he didn’t start boxing until he was 24?
Oct 16, Walt Disney and his brother Roy O. Disney founded The Disney Company. The Disney Company is almost the exact same age as my dad-in-law, and my grandad would have been 3 years old.
Dec 21, Nepal changed from British protectorate to independent nation. I wonder if they regretted the decision?
Dec 28, Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel (91), engineer, died. Statue of Liberty’s daddy.
The Chocolate Manufacturers Association was founded. I couldn’t have left this one out, not being so close to Christmas ;)
Irving Fisher, economist, established the Number Institute, a company that would develop and sell index numbers for measuring price levels and other economic data. I wonder what this guy would have thought about the cryptocurrency – and especially Steem?
Amelia Earhart became the 16th woman to be issued a pilot’s license by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. Another fearless explorer.
Harry MacElhone bought a bar in Paris at 5 rue Dannou behind the opera and named it Harry’s New York Bar. It later became a hangout for the "Lost Generation." Cocktails such as the French 75 (named after an artillery piece), the Bloody Mary and the Side Car were invented there. Where were Harvey Wallbanger, Sex on the Beach and Tequila Sunrise named?
Yankee stadium was built in the Bronx of NYC.
Florida took delivery of its first and only electric chair to execute convicts.
Caleb Bradham sold the Pepsi-Cola trademark and business for $35,000. So, The Yankees had a home, Florida took delivery of their own ‘Old Sparky’ and Coke’s main rival was sold on.
Barney Pressman pawned his wife's wedding ring in NYC to lease a Seventh Ave. store selling discounted men's suits. Barney's is still going. Not too shabby there. From a pawned wedding ring to a multi-million-dollar store.
Alfred P. Sloan Jr. (1875-1966), a ballbearing magnate, became president of a troubled GM and brought in corporate management and tight financial controls. He introduced the ideas of model changes and offering a car "for every purse and purpose."
Benz & Cie introduced a diesel truck with a 50-horsepower engine.
Two giants of the automotive industry that are still going strong today.
I’m awed at how many iconic companies were started in 1923.
Edwin Hubble used the 100-inch telescope at Mt. Wilson to establish that the Milky Way is only one of many galaxies in the universe. He was able to resolve individual stars of the Andromeda galaxy. You’ve heard of the Hubble Telescope – no, that’s no coincidence ;) (See pic at top of this article).
The Milky Way chocolate candy bar was invented. Coincidence? Again, I don’t think so…
Dr. Vladimir Zworykin invented the iconoscope, a necessary component of television. And think on this… where would we be without television? :p
Diphtheria was reported to have been transmitted by an accidental needle stick. Again, medicine was progressing in leaps and bounds too. I can only imagine if the person that accidentally stuck the infected needle into someone else thought: “Ooops!” or “Oh, now, THAT’S interesting…”
In Egypt, Arab feminists returned from a women’s conference in Rome and dumped their head coverings at the Cairo train station. A whole generation was inspired to follow suit. Yes, it does seem that history repeats itself… how long before that part comes back around?
Coco Chanel launched Chanel No. 5 perfume in Paris. Now that really was an iconic moment – for the fashion industry at least.
What an awesome century! Here's to the inventions and innovations of the next!
Images from Pixabay
Dates from www.timelines.ws