On this day

14 September in history.

5 moments from 1741 to 2015: discovery, creativity and courage, each with a source to read more.

5 moments

The LIGO Livingston control room as it was during Advanced LIGO's first observing run (O1). This panoramic was sewn together from several images

2015

Hearing the universe. Detectors in Louisiana and Washington picked up gravitational waves from two black holes colliding a billion years ago, as Einstein had predicted.

Wikipedia: First observation of gravitational waves

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

More from 14 September

  1. George Frideric Handel

    1741

    Messiah is finished

    Handel finished writing his oratorio Messiah, in about three weeks.

    Wikipedia: Messiah (Handel)Wikipedia: George Frideric Handel

    Photo: Attributed to Balthasar Denner / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

  2. Cpt. Joseph Kittinger Jr

    1984

    Alone across the Atlantic by balloon

    Joseph Kittinger flew a gas balloon solo across the Atlantic, a first.

    Wikipedia: Joseph Kittinger

    Photo: U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

  3. Drone photo of Penang Bridge as of December 2024, taken with DJI Air 3S

    1985

    The Penang Bridge

    A bridge more than 13 kilometres long opened, linking Penang Island to mainland Malaysia.

    Wikipedia: Penang Bridge

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

  4. Flag of Estonia

    2003

    Estonia votes for Europe

    Estonians voted in a referendum to join the European Union.

    Wikipedia: 2003 Estonian European Union membership referendum

    Photo: Original: Unknown author Vector: SKopp , PeepP and ‍others / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

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