May 6, 1856: Sigmund Freud is Born On this day in 1856, the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, was born in the present-day Czech Republic. Freud explored topics such as child sexuality and libido as well as dream interpretations. He believed that neuroses were derived from past traumatic experiences and in order to lessen the neurotic behavior, one had to remember the event and analyze it. Unlike others, Freud argued that neuroses resulted from previous sexual events.  After reviewing his work and theories, Freud published The Interpretation of Dreams, The Psychopathology of Everyday Life and Three Essays on Theory of Sexuality. To this day, Freud’s work is constantly debated and criticized, but continues to influence the world of psychology. Keep learning about Freud with this biographical essay.  Image: Freud at work in his study 1938, Freud with sons Ernst and Martin 1916, Freud at a psychoanalytic congress in The Hague 1920 (Library of Congress)
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May 6, 1856: Sigmund Freud is Born On this day in 1856, the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, was born in the present-day Czech Republic. Freud explored topics such as child sexuality and libido as well as dream interpretations. He believed that neuroses were derived from past traumatic experiences and in order to lessen the neurotic behavior, one had to remember the event and analyze it. Unlike others, Freud argued that neuroses resulted from previous sexual events.  After reviewing his work and theories, Freud published The Interpretation of Dreams, The Psychopathology of Everyday Life and Three Essays on Theory of Sexuality. To this day, Freud’s work is constantly debated and criticized, but continues to influence the world of psychology. Keep learning about Freud with this biographical essay.  Image: Freud at work in his study 1938, Freud with sons Ernst and Martin 1916, Freud at a psychoanalytic congress in The Hague 1920 (Library of Congress)
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May 6, 1856: Sigmund Freud is Born On this day in 1856, the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, was born in the present-day Czech Republic. Freud explored topics such as child sexuality and libido as well as dream interpretations. He believed that neuroses were derived from past traumatic experiences and in order to lessen the neurotic behavior, one had to remember the event and analyze it. Unlike others, Freud argued that neuroses resulted from previous sexual events.  After reviewing his work and theories, Freud published The Interpretation of Dreams, The Psychopathology of Everyday Life and Three Essays on Theory of Sexuality. To this day, Freud’s work is constantly debated and criticized, but continues to influence the world of psychology. Keep learning about Freud with this biographical essay.  Image: Freud at work in his study 1938, Freud with sons Ernst and Martin 1916, Freud at a psychoanalytic congress in The Hague 1920 (Library of Congress)
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May 6, 1856: Sigmund Freud is Born

On this day in 1856, the father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud, was born in the present-day Czech Republic.

Freud explored topics such as child sexuality and libido as well as dream interpretations. He believed that neuroses were derived from past traumatic experiences and in order to lessen the neurotic behavior, one had to remember the event and analyze it. Unlike others, Freud argued that neuroses resulted from previous sexual events. 

After reviewing his work and theories, Freud published The Interpretation of Dreams, The Psychopathology of Everyday Life and Three Essays on Theory of Sexuality. To this day, Freud’s work is constantly debated and criticized, but continues to influence the world of psychology.

Keep learning about Freud with this biographical essay. 

Image: Freud at work in his study 1938, Freud with sons Ernst and Martin 1916, Freud at a psychoanalytic congress in The Hague 1920 (Library of Congress)

April 9, 1959: NASA Introduces the First Astronauts

 On this day in 1959, NASA announced to the public the seven astronauts, also known as the Mercury 7, that would partake in Project Mercury, the first manned space program. The astronauts included: Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr., Alan Shepard Jr., and Donald Slayton.  

 During this time period, the United States and the USSR were in a constant space race, where each country was aiming to explore outer space at a quicker pace than the other. Although the U.S. was restricted on time, they developed a thorough evaluation process to select their astronauts.

 NASA placed its candidates under extreme pressure and temperature conditions in order to test their health, skills, and endurance. In addition, candidates were tested on how they managed psychological and physical stress. Love their suits? Check out these classic images from Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo as well as space-suit prototypes that never made the cut. Top Photo: The Project Mercury Astronauts, also known as the Mercury 7 Bottom Photo: The front wall of the Flight Control Area featured a large world map display with the path to be followed by the capsule (NASA)
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April 9, 1959: NASA Introduces the First Astronauts

 On this day in 1959, NASA announced to the public the seven astronauts, also known as the Mercury 7, that would partake in Project Mercury, the first manned space program. The astronauts included: Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr., Alan Shepard Jr., and Donald Slayton.  

 During this time period, the United States and the USSR were in a constant space race, where each country was aiming to explore outer space at a quicker pace than the other. Although the U.S. was restricted on time, they developed a thorough evaluation process to select their astronauts.

 NASA placed its candidates under extreme pressure and temperature conditions in order to test their health, skills, and endurance. In addition, candidates were tested on how they managed psychological and physical stress. Love their suits? Check out these classic images from Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo as well as space-suit prototypes that never made the cut. Top Photo: The Project Mercury Astronauts, also known as the Mercury 7 Bottom Photo: The front wall of the Flight Control Area featured a large world map display with the path to be followed by the capsule (NASA)
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April 9, 1959: NASA Introduces the First Astronauts



On this day in 1959, NASA announced to the public the seven astronauts, also known as the Mercury 7, that would partake in Project Mercury, the first manned space program. The astronauts included: Scott Carpenter, L. Gordon Cooper Jr., John H. Glenn Jr., Virgil Grissom, Walter Schirra Jr., Alan Shepard Jr., and Donald Slayton.  



During this time period, the United States and the USSR were in a constant space race, where each country was aiming to explore outer space at a quicker pace than the other. Although the U.S. was restricted on time, they developed a thorough evaluation process to select their astronauts.



NASA placed its candidates under extreme pressure and temperature conditions in order to test their health, skills, and endurance. In addition, candidates were tested on how they managed psychological and physical stress.

Love their suits? Check out these classic images from Projects Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo as well as space-suit prototypes that never made the cut.

Top Photo: The Project Mercury Astronauts, also known as the Mercury 7 Bottom Photo: The front wall of the Flight Control Area featured a large world map display with the path to be followed by the capsule (NASA)

March 14, 1879: Albert Einstein is Born On this day in 1879, physicist Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany. Did you know his father was a featherbed salesman? Learn more about the famous scientist with NOVA’s Albert Einstein timeline. You can also watch NOVA’s Einstein Revealed, which exposes the hidden life of Albert Einstein and tracing the birth of his groundbreaking ideas. Images: Albert Einstein in 1921 (Wikimedia Commons), timeline of Einstein’s life (NOVA).
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March 14, 1879: Albert Einstein is Born On this day in 1879, physicist Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany. Did you know his father was a featherbed salesman? Learn more about the famous scientist with NOVA’s Albert Einstein timeline. You can also watch NOVA’s Einstein Revealed, which exposes the hidden life of Albert Einstein and tracing the birth of his groundbreaking ideas. Images: Albert Einstein in 1921 (Wikimedia Commons), timeline of Einstein’s life (NOVA).
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March 14, 1879: Albert Einstein is Born

On this day in 1879, physicist Albert Einstein was born in Ulm, Germany.

Did you know his father was a featherbed salesman? Learn more about the famous scientist with NOVA’s Albert Einstein timeline.

You can also watch NOVA’s Einstein Revealed, which exposes the hidden life of Albert Einstein and tracing the birth of his groundbreaking ideas.

Images: Albert Einstein in 1921 (Wikimedia Commons), timeline of Einstein’s life (NOVA).

Feb. 15, 1564: Galileo Galilei is Born On this day in 1564, groundbreaking Italian scientist Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy. As a force behind the Scientific Revolution, Galileo created a telescope that helped him make countless astronomical discoveries, advocated in favor of heliocentrism, and experimented with weights falling from the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Galileo’s theories have helped shape modern science. Curious about his experiments on the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Recreate them with NOVA’s interactive experiment! Image: Reproduction of a painting by Giusto Sustermans (Library of Congress).
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Feb. 15, 1564: Galileo Galilei is Born

On this day in 1564, groundbreaking Italian scientist Galileo Galilei was born in Pisa, Italy. As a force behind the Scientific Revolution, Galileo created a telescope that helped him make countless astronomical discoveries, advocated in favor of heliocentrism, and experimented with weights falling from the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Galileo’s theories have helped shape modern science.

Curious about his experiments on the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Recreate them with NOVA’s interactive experiment!

Image: Reproduction of a painting by Giusto Sustermans (Library of Congress).

Jan. 28, 1986: Space Shuttle Challenger Breaks Apart After Launch On this day in 1986, Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch. Seven crew members were lost, including Teacher-in-Space payload specialist Sharon Christa McAuliffe. After the Challenger explosion, President Ronald Reagan spoke to the public, especially to young children who had been watching the liftoff on television: “…I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle’s takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It’s all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It’s all part of taking a chance and expanding man’s horizons. The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we’ll continue to follow them…” Read President Reagan’s full speech here. Photo Credit:  Photo from Jan. 9, 1986 - the Challenger crew takes a break during countdown training at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (NASA)
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Jan. 28, 1986: Space Shuttle Challenger Breaks Apart After Launch

On this day in 1986, Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch. Seven crew members were lost, including Teacher-in-Space payload specialist Sharon Christa McAuliffe.

After the Challenger explosion, President Ronald Reagan spoke to the public, especially to young children who had been watching the liftoff on television:

“…I want to say something to the schoolchildren of America who were watching the live coverage of the shuttle’s takeoff. I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen. It’s all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It’s all part of taking a chance and expanding man’s horizons. The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we’ll continue to follow them…”

Read President Reagan’s full speech here.

Photo Credit:  Photo from Jan. 9, 1986 - the Challenger crew takes a break during countdown training at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (NASA)

December 18, 1957: First Civilian Nuclear Power Plant Comes Online On this day in 1957, the first civilian nuclear power plant in the U.S. went online. The Shippingport Atomic Power Station, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operated for 25 years before being dismantled. With the disasters at Fukushima, Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, building a new plant today is a harder sell than ever before. Today, there are 104 nuclear plants in operation, much less than the 1000 plants that President Nixon had projected. In America Revealed, host Yul Kwon takes a tour of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant  in Tennessee, the only plant in America currently under construction. Take a tour inside the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant. Photos: Shippingport Atomic Power Station (Library of Congress, dates unknown)
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December 18, 1957: First Civilian Nuclear Power Plant Comes Online On this day in 1957, the first civilian nuclear power plant in the U.S. went online. The Shippingport Atomic Power Station, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operated for 25 years before being dismantled. With the disasters at Fukushima, Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, building a new plant today is a harder sell than ever before. Today, there are 104 nuclear plants in operation, much less than the 1000 plants that President Nixon had projected. In America Revealed, host Yul Kwon takes a tour of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant  in Tennessee, the only plant in America currently under construction. Take a tour inside the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant. Photos: Shippingport Atomic Power Station (Library of Congress, dates unknown)
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December 18, 1957: First Civilian Nuclear Power Plant Comes Online On this day in 1957, the first civilian nuclear power plant in the U.S. went online. The Shippingport Atomic Power Station, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operated for 25 years before being dismantled. With the disasters at Fukushima, Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, building a new plant today is a harder sell than ever before. Today, there are 104 nuclear plants in operation, much less than the 1000 plants that President Nixon had projected. In America Revealed, host Yul Kwon takes a tour of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant  in Tennessee, the only plant in America currently under construction. Take a tour inside the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant. Photos: Shippingport Atomic Power Station (Library of Congress, dates unknown)
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December 18, 1957: First Civilian Nuclear Power Plant Comes Online

On this day in 1957, the first civilian nuclear power plant in the U.S. went online. The Shippingport Atomic Power Station, near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, operated for 25 years before being dismantled.

With the disasters at Fukushima, Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, building a new plant today is a harder sell than ever before. Today, there are 104 nuclear plants in operation, much less than the 1000 plants that President Nixon had projected.

In America Revealed, host Yul Kwon takes a tour of the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant  in Tennessee, the only plant in America currently under construction. Take a tour inside the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant.

Photos: Shippingport Atomic Power Station (Library of Congress, dates unknown)

Source: to.pbs.org

November 16, 1973: Nixon Authorizes Alaska Pipeline On this day in 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act into law, which authorized the construction of the Alaska Pipeline. One of the world’s largest pipeline systems, the Trans-Alaska pipeline carries crude oil from Prudhoe Bay, above the Arctic Circle, south to the port of Valdez on Prince William Sound. The 800-mile route crosses three major mountain ranges, permafrost and earthquake-prone zone, and hundreds of rivers and streams. Check out American Experience’s  “How the Pipeline Transformed Life in Alaska”, which details how the construction of the pipeline affected many aspects of life for Alaskans. Photo: Library of Congress
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November 16, 1973: Nixon Authorizes Alaska Pipeline

On this day in 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act into law, which authorized the construction of the Alaska Pipeline.

One of the world’s largest pipeline systems, the Trans-Alaska pipeline carries crude oil from Prudhoe Bay, above the Arctic Circle, south to the port of Valdez on Prince William Sound. The 800-mile route crosses three major mountain ranges, permafrost and earthquake-prone zone, and hundreds of rivers and streams.

Check out American Experience’s  “How the Pipeline Transformed Life in Alaska”, which details how the construction of the pipeline affected many aspects of life for Alaskans.

Photo: Library of Congress

Source: to.pbs.org

November 14, 1969: Apollo 12 Mission Launches Into Space On this day in 1969, Apollo 12’s Saturn V vehicle was launched into space, making Apollo 12 the second mission to land a man on the lunar surface. 

History Detectives’ “Moon Museum” episode explores this question: Did the Apollo 12 space mission smuggle Andy Warhol’s artwork to the moon? The detectives track down three eyewitnesses to this historic moment.
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November 14, 1969: Apollo 12 Mission Launches Into Space On this day in 1969, Apollo 12’s Saturn V vehicle was launched into space, making Apollo 12 the second mission to land a man on the lunar surface. 

History Detectives’ “Moon Museum” episode explores this question: Did the Apollo 12 space mission smuggle Andy Warhol’s artwork to the moon? The detectives track down three eyewitnesses to this historic moment.
Zoom Info
November 14, 1969: Apollo 12 Mission Launches Into Space On this day in 1969, Apollo 12’s Saturn V vehicle was launched into space, making Apollo 12 the second mission to land a man on the lunar surface. 

History Detectives’ “Moon Museum” episode explores this question: Did the Apollo 12 space mission smuggle Andy Warhol’s artwork to the moon? The detectives track down three eyewitnesses to this historic moment.
Zoom Info
November 14, 1969: Apollo 12 Mission Launches Into Space On this day in 1969, Apollo 12’s Saturn V vehicle was launched into space, making Apollo 12 the second mission to land a man on the lunar surface. 

History Detectives’ “Moon Museum” episode explores this question: Did the Apollo 12 space mission smuggle Andy Warhol’s artwork to the moon? The detectives track down three eyewitnesses to this historic moment.
Zoom Info

November 14, 1969: Apollo 12 Mission Launches Into Space

On this day in 1969, Apollo 12’s Saturn V vehicle was launched into space, making Apollo 12 the second mission to land a man on the lunar surface.



History Detectives’ “Moon Museum” episode explores this question: Did the Apollo 12 space mission smuggle Andy Warhol’s artwork to the moon? The detectives track down three eyewitnesses to this historic moment.

Source: to.pbs.org

Happy Birthday Carl Sagan! On this day in 1934, Carl Sagan, a legendary American astronomer and author, was born. Sagan is most well-known for the award-winning PBS television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which he narrated and co-wrote. Cosmos covered a wide range of scientific subjects including the origin of life and a perspective of our place in the universe.  The program has been broadcast in more than 60 countries and seen by over 500 million people, making it the most widely watched PBS program in history. Check out NOVA’s interview with Sagan, who ponders time travel with intellect, humor and flair. Photo: AP Photo/Lennox McLendon
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Happy Birthday Carl Sagan!

On this day in 1934, Carl Sagan, a legendary American astronomer and author, was born. Sagan is most well-known for the award-winning PBS television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which he narrated and co-wrote. Cosmos covered a wide range of scientific subjects including the origin of life and a perspective of our place in the universe. 

The program has been broadcast in more than 60 countries and seen by over 500 million people, making it the most widely watched PBS program in history.

Check out NOVA’s interview with Sagan, who ponders time travel with intellect, humor and flair.

Photo: AP Photo/Lennox McLendon

Source: to.pbs.org

November 8, 1895: German Scientist Discovers X-Rays On this day in 1895, German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen became the first person to observe X-rays. The discovery occurred accidentally in Rontgen’s lab, where he was testing whether cathode rays could pass through glass. Rontgen noticed a glow coming from a nearby chemically coated screen, and he termed the rays causing the glow “X-rays” due to their unknown nature. Scientists quickly realized the benefits of X-rays, but later also comprehended the harmful effects of radiation. Today, X-ray technology is used in a variety of fields, most notably medicine, material analysis and security devices. Take NOVA’s interactive tour of the electromagnetic spectrum to learn more about X-rays, microwaves, gamma rays and more.
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November 8, 1895: German Scientist Discovers X-Rays

On this day in 1895, German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen became the first person to observe X-rays. The discovery occurred accidentally in Rontgen’s lab, where he was testing whether cathode rays could pass through glass. Rontgen noticed a glow coming from a nearby chemically coated screen, and he termed the rays causing the glow “X-rays” due to their unknown nature.

Scientists quickly realized the benefits of X-rays, but later also comprehended the harmful effects of radiation. Today, X-ray technology is used in a variety of fields, most notably medicine, material analysis and security devices.

Take NOVA’s interactive tour of the electromagnetic spectrum to learn more about X-rays, microwaves, gamma rays and more.

Source: to.pbs.org

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