Episodes

  • 17th February 1936: ‘The Phantom’ comic strip published for the first time, widely regarded as the first costumed superhero

    17th February 1936: ‘The Phantom’ comic strip published for the first time, widely regarded as the first costumed superhero
    Feb 17 2025
    The Phantom's distinctive appearance of a skin-tight purple costume, domino mask, and striped trunks became iconic, influencing later superheroes in comic book ...
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
  • 16th February 1937: Organic chemist Wallace Carothers is awarded a patent for nylon

    16th February 1937: Organic chemist Wallace Carothers is awarded a patent for nylon
    Feb 16 2025
    The DuPont company’s organic chemist Wallace Carothers received a patent for linear condensation polymers, the basis of the material better known as ...
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
  • 15th February 1965: Canada officially adopts its national flag of a red maple leaf on a white square between two vertical red bars

    15th February 1965: Canada officially adopts its national flag of a red maple leaf on a white square between two vertical red bars
    Feb 15 2025
    A special parliamentary committee reviewed over 5,900 submissions, ultimately settling on a design created by historian George F. G. Stanley that featured a stylized red maple leaf with 11 points, with the red and white derived from Canada’s official ...
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
  • 14th February 1990: Voyager 1 creates the ‘Pale Blue Dot’ image of Earth

    14th February 1990: Voyager 1 creates the ‘Pale Blue Dot’ image of Earth
    Feb 14 2025
    Pale Blue Dot, the most distant photograph ever taken of Earth, was created by the Voyager 1 space ...
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
  • 13th February 1945: Allied bombing of Dresden begins during the final months of World War II

    13th February 1945: Allied bombing of Dresden begins during the final months of World War II
    Feb 13 2025
    The destruction of Dresden was extensive, with vast areas of the city reduced to rubble. While some argue the attack was a necessary military operation to disrupt German supply lines and weaken morale, others contend that the scale of destruction and the civilian toll were disproportionate, particularly given the advanced stage of the war and Germany’s declining capacity to ...
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
  • 12th February 1963: Construction begins on the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.

    12th February 1963: Construction begins on the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.
    Feb 12 2025
    The Gateway Arch was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen to honour the role of St. Louis in the westward expansion of the United States. It was officially opened to the public on June 10, 1967, coon becoming one of the most recognizable landmarks in the United States, attracting millions of visitors each ...
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
  • 11th February 1979: The Iranian Revolution overthrows Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran

    11th February 1979: The Iranian Revolution overthrows Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran
    Feb 11 2025
    The overthrow of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi brought the 2,500 year old monarchy in Iran to an end and ushered in a theocracy overseen by the Ayatollah ...
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute
  • 10th February 1940: First Tom and Jerry cartoon, Puss Gets the Boot, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

    10th February 1940: First Tom and Jerry cartoon, Puss Gets the Boot, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
    Feb 10 2025
    Puss Gets the Boot was created by animators William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 1941. This led to the studio deciding to continue producing cartoons with the characters, which were soon renamed Tom and ...
    Show more Show less
    Less than 1 minute