On this day

26 April in history.

5 moments from 1336 to 1962: discovery, creativity and courage, each with a source to read more.

5 moments

Shipping containers at Port Elizabeth, New Jersey

1956

The first container ship. The Ideal X sailed from New Jersey to Houston carrying 58 metal boxes. Shipping in standard containers made world trade far cheaper.

Wikipedia: SS Ideal X

Photo: Captain Albert E. Theberge, NOAA Corps (ret.) / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

More from 26 April

  1. Mont Ventoux

    1336

    Climbing a mountain for the view

    The poet Petrarch climbed Mont Ventoux in France and wrote about it, one of the first people known to climb a mountain simply to see the view.

    Wikipedia: PetrarchWikipedia: Mont Ventoux

    Photo: muneaki / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

  2. L'Aigle (meteorite)

    1803

    Stones fall from the sky

    Thousands of meteorite pieces rained down on L'Aigle in France. Studying them convinced scientists that rocks really do fall from space.

    Wikipedia: L'Aigle (meteorite)

    Photo: Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

  3. Atleti vs Villarreal - September 13

    1903

    Atlético Madrid is founded

    A group of Basque students in Madrid founded a football club that became Atlético Madrid.

    Wikipedia: Atlético Madrid

    Photo: Elwin594 / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

  4. Ariel 1 satellite Scale model, London Science Museum

    1962

    Britain's first satellite

    Ariel 1, built in Britain to study the upper atmosphere, was launched on an American rocket.

    Wikipedia: Ariel 1

    Photo: Stephencdickson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Moments chosen for discovery, creativity and courage. Each one links to a source where you can read more; photos are credited to their owners.