Scott Allsop's Blog, page 98

28th September 1928: Alexander Fleming accidentally discovers penicillin, laying the foundation for a revolution in modern medicine

Fleming found that a petri dish containing staphylococci bacteria had been contaminated with an unidentified fungus. The bacteria around the fungus had been destroyed, whereas bacteria that were further away ...

27th September 1908: First Model T Ford automobile rolls out of the Piquette Avenue factory in Detroit

The Model T was enormously successful, and at one point half of all automobiles on the road were not just Ford cars but Model ...

26th September 1960: Kennedy and Nixon take part in their first televised debate

The first United States presidential debate took place between John F. Kennedy and Richard ...

25th September 1513: Spanish explorer Vasco Núñez de Balboa becomes the first European to reach the Pacific Ocean from the New World

Balboa's journey involved battling with native tribes and forging a way through thick jungle, before reaching the mountain range along the Chucunaque River from where he first saw the Pacific Ocean on the morning of 25 ...

24th September 1789: The Judiciary Act becomes law in the United States of America

The Judiciary Act was passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President George ...

23rd September 1338: First naval battle with artillery takes place in the Hundred Years’ War

The first recorded naval battle featuring artillery took place in the first naval engagement of the Hundred Years’ ...

22nd September 1888: First edition of National Geographic Magazine published

The first edition of the National Geographic Magazine was published by the National Geographic ...

21st September 1937: J. R. R. Tolkien’s fantasy novel The Hobbit first published in the United Kingdom

The initial run of 1,500 copies of The Hobbit sold out within three months, and further runs proved similarly popular prompting Tolkien to write the Lord of the ...

20th September 1066: Norwegian king Harald Hardrada defeats his northern English enemies at the Battle of Fulford

The fierce fighting at the Battle of Fulford that initially saw the Norwegians being driven back gave way to a counter-attack that led to Hardrada’s ...

19th September 1970: First Glastonbury Festival took place at Worthy Farm in Somerset, known at the time as the Pilton Festival of Pop, Folk, and Blues

Organised by dairy farmer Michael Eavis, the event was billed as the Pilton Pop, Blues & Folk Festival and attracted 1,500 people who paid a pound each to see a number of bands on a single stage and drink unlimited quantities of ...