2019
The world’s largest plane, The Stratolaunch, had its first flight from the Mojave Desert in California.
The airplane was built to launch rockets into orbit while high in the atmosphere. Its wingspan was bigger than a football field.
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2014
Manny Pacquiao reclaimed WBO welterweight boxing title after defeating Timothy Bradley.
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1994
Star Trek actor George Takei had an asteroid named after him.
The asteroid 7307 Takei was discovered on this day from Nachi-Katsuura Observatory in Japan.
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1992
Nelson Mandela and Winnie Madikizela revealed their separation.
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1979
The world record for the longest table tennis doubles marathon was broken with a time of 101 hours.
Lance, Phil & Mark Warren, and Bill Weir from Sacramento, California, began playing on April 9 and were only allowed a five-minute break for each hour they played.
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1960
The world’s first satellite navigation system, Transit 1-B, was successfully launched from the US.
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1953
The director of the CIA launched Project MKUltra, the US’ top secret mind control program.
The highly controversial and illegal program used various methods, including the forced exposure to certain substances to manipulate captives into giving up vital information against their will. The program was only halted in 1973, and the majority of files relating to it were destroyed.
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1943
US President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Jefferson Memorial to Thomas Jefferson.
The memorial was dedicated on the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s birth.
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1870
The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City was founded.
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1869
George Westinghouse Jr. patented steam power brake devices in the US.
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1796
The United States received its first elephant.
The elephant called Bet was purchased in Calcutta, India, for $450 and sold in New York for $10,000.
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1668
John Dryden was appointed as England’s first Poet Laureate by King Charles II.
Dryden received £300 a year and a cask of Canary wine for being the kingdom’s official poet.
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1517
The Ottoman forces took over Cairo, Egypt.
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1111
Pope Paschal II crowned Henry V as the Holy Roman Emperor.
Before becoming emperor, Henry V had attempted to wrest some control away from the Church, which Paschal II was obviously against. In the end, Henry V captured and imprisoned Paschal II and forced him to perform his coronation.
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