Monday, February 18, 2008

Today in History: February 18

  • 1677 French astronomer Jacques Cassini born; proved stars move.
  • 1745 Italian physicist Alessandro Volta born; invented the electric battery; the "volt".
  • 1838 Austrian physicist Ernst Mach born; Mach 1.
  • 1871 English metallurgist Harry Brearley born; invented stainless steel.
  • 1901 English engineer Hubert Boot patents the vacuum cleaner.
  • 1913 English chemist Frederick Soddy coins the term "isotope"; 1921 Nobel.
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