November 13

Events - Science & Technology

1841day.year

James Braid first sees a demonstration of animal magnetism by Charles Lafontaine, which leads to his study of the subject he eventually calls hypnotism.

In 1841, Scottish surgeon James Braid witnessed a demonstration of animal magnetism by Charles Lafontaine, sparking his studies that coined the term 'hypnotism'.
James Braid attended a demonstration of Charles Lafontaine's animal magnetism performance on November 13, 1841, at Manchester. Intrigued by the phenomena of trance and suggestibility, Braid began systematic experiments the same day. He concluded that the effects were due to physiological rather than mystical forces. Braid published his seminal work in 1843, introducing the term 'hypnotism' to describe the nervous sleep state. His research laid the foundation for modern hypnotherapy and influenced psychological and medical practices.
1841 James Braid animal magnetism Charles Lafontaine hypnotism
1947day.year

The Soviet Union completes development of the AK-47, one of the first proper assault rifles.

In 1947, the Soviet Union finalized the design of the AK-47, pioneering the era of modern assault rifles.
In 1947, Soviet engineers under Mikhail Kalashnikov completed the development of the AK-47. The weapon combined select-fire capability with a detachable magazine, offering unprecedented firepower. Its rugged construction and reliability across harsh environments made it ideal for mass production. By adapting features from preceding designs, the AK-47 revolutionized infantry armaments. It would become one of the most widely produced and influential rifles in history.
1947 Soviet Union AK-47 assault rifles
1996day.year

As part of the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) project, Joel Armengaud discovers the project's first Mersenne prime number, \n\n\n\n\n2\n\n1398269\n\n\n−\n1\n\n\n{\\displaystyle 2^{1398269}-1}\n\n, a number with 420,921 digits.

A milestone in distributed computing and number theory: the discovery of a massive Mersenne prime by GIMPS.
On November 13, 1996, as part of the GIMPS collaborative project, computer scientist Joel Armengaud discovered the first Mersenne prime found by the network.\nThe prime, 2^1398269 - 1, contains 420,921 digits—remarkable for its sheer size.\nGIMPS uses volunteer computing power from around the world to test candidate numbers.\nThis discovery showcased the potential of distributed computing for advancing mathematical research.\nMersenne primes are prime numbers of the form 2^p - 1 and have intrigued mathematicians for centuries.\nThe finding spurred further interest and participation in GIMPS, leading to subsequent prime discoveries.\nIt remains a landmark achievement bridging amateur collaboration and high-level mathematics.
1996 Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search Mersenne prime