January 09

Edvard Rusjan was born in 1886 in Ljubljana and developed an early fascination with flight. Working with his brother Josip, he designed and built one of the first successful aircraft in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1909. Rusjan's innovations included improvements to wing structures and lightweight engines, enabling longer and more stable flights. He staged public demonstrations in Trieste and across Europe, inspiring future aviators. Tragically, he was killed during an exhibition flight in 1911 at Belgrade. Rusjan is remembered as a national hero in Slovenia and Italy and a key figure in the early days of aviation.

Rob Gauntlett was among the youngest climbers to summit Mount Everest, achieving the feat as a teenager. He co-led ambitious expeditions, including pioneering polar journeys that demanded exceptional endurance. His passion for exploration drove him to push human limits and document remote landscapes. Beyond climbing, he worked to raise awareness for environmental conservation in fragile mountain ecosystems. His promising career was tragically cut short at age 22 during a climbing accident.