January 24

On January 24, 1946, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 1, establishing the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission (UNAEC). The commission's mandate was to propose measures for the control and peaceful use of atomic energy and prevent nuclear proliferation. This landmark resolution came just months after the first nuclear bombs were used at the end of World War II. Member states were tasked with reporting on their nuclear activities and collaborating on safety standards. Though political tensions hindered some proposals, the UNAEC laid the groundwork for future international nuclear agreements. The creation of the commission signaled the UN's early commitment to managing the rising threat of atomic weapons.

On January 24, 1984, Apple Computer launched the Macintosh personal computer, introducing mass-market consumers to a graphical user interface and the iconic 3.5-inch floppy disk drive. The Macintosh's bold design featured a 9-inch monochrome display, a mouse, and bundled software such as MacWrite and MacPaint, setting new standards for user-friendly interaction. Its debut was famously advertised during Super Bowl XVIII with Apple's "1984" commercial, positioning the Macintosh as a challenger to computing norms. This landmark release sparked the desktop publishing revolution and influenced software development with its emphasis on visual computing. Although initial sales were modest, the Macintosh laid the foundation for future generations of Apple products and transformed personal computing. The event marked a shift away from text-based command-line interfaces toward intuitive graphical systems. Within a year, competitors adopted similar GUI elements, cementing the Macintosh's legacy in computing history.

On January 24, 1986, NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft performed its historic flyby of Uranus, passing within 81,500 kilometers of the icy planet's cloud tops. This milestone provided humanity's first close-up look at Uranus's faint rings, unique axial tilt, and dynamic atmosphere. Voyager 2 discovered ten new moons and two previously unknown rings, expanding our understanding of the planet's complex system. The spacecraft measured wind speeds, atmospheric composition, and thermal properties, revealing an unexpectedly active environment despite extreme distances from the Sun. Voyager 2 transmitted high-resolution images back to Earth, which reshaped theories about ice giants and their formation. The successful encounter marked the completion of Voyager's "Grand Tour" of the outer planets, following previous flybys of Jupiter, Saturn, and Titan. Data from Uranus continue to inform planetary science and inspire future missions to the outer Solar System. The mission's longevity and achievements stand as a testament to human ingenuity and exploration.

On January 24, 1990, the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of Japan successfully launched Hiten aboard an M-3SII rocket from the Kagoshima Space Center. Hiten, also known as MUSES-A, was the country's inaugural lunar probe and the first robotic mission to the Moon since the Soviet Union's Luna 24 in 1976. The probe carried scientific instruments to study the Earth–Moon gravitational field and test aerobraking techniques in lunar orbit. Hiten deployed the Small Lunar Cruiser (SL-C) orbiter and released two sub-satellites into lunar orbit, demonstrating Japan's growing capabilities in planetary exploration. Although Hiten's fuel constraints prevented a major lunar landing, it performed complex orbital maneuvers and provided valuable data on mission design. The success of Hiten marked Japan's entry into the select group of nations capable of sending missions beyond Earth orbit. It paved the way for subsequent Japanese space projects, including missions to Mars and asteroids. Hiten's legacy endures as a milestone in the global history of interplanetary exploration.