On this day

9 November in history.

5 moments from 1967 to 2023: discovery, creativity and courage, each with a source to read more.

5 moments

East German official Günter Schabowski.

1989

The Berlin Wall falls. An East German official mistakenly announced that the border was open, right away. That night, people streamed through and the Berlin Wall fell.

Wikipedia: Günter Schabowski

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

More from 9 November

  1. 1967

    The first Saturn V rocket flies

    NASA launched the uncrewed Apollo 4 test flight from Cape Kennedy, Florida, on top of the first Saturn V rocket.

    Wikipedia: Apollo programWikipedia: NASAWikipedia: Apollo 4

  2. Garry Kasparov.

    1985

    Garry Kasparov becomes world chess champion at 22

    Garry Kasparov beat Anatoly Karpov to become World Chess Champion. At 22, he was the youngest person to hold the title up to then.

    Wikipedia: Garry KasparovWikipedia: World Chess ChampionshipWikipedia: Anatoly Karpov

    Photo: Fryta 73 from Strzegom / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

  3. 1994

    A new element is discovered

    Scientists discovered darmstadtium, a new chemical element.

    Wikipedia: Chemical elementWikipedia: Darmstadtium

  4. NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

    2023

    Surgeons carry out the first whole-eye transplant

    Surgeons at NYU Langone Health in the United States announced they had transplanted an entire eye, a world first.

    Wikipedia: NYU Langone HealthWikipedia: Eye transplantation

    Photo: Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

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