1877day.year
Thomas Edison demonstrates his phonograph for the first time.
Thomas Edison unveils the phonograph, the first device capable of recording and playing back sound.
On November 29, 1877, inventor Thomas Edison demonstrated his newly developed phonograph in Menlo Park, New Jersey.
He recited "Mary Had a Little Lamb," capturing the sound on a tinfoil-covered cylinder.
The device marked the first time in history that a machine could both record and reproduce audible speech.
Edison's breakthrough laid the foundation for the modern music and audio recording industry.
The phonograph captivated audiences and established Edison as a leading innovator of the era.
1877
Thomas Edison
phonograph
1929day.year
U.S. Admiral Richard E. Byrd leads the first expedition to fly over the South Pole.
Admiral Richard E. Byrd completes the first flight over the South Pole, a landmark in polar exploration.
On November 29, 1929, Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd and his team took off from a base on the Ross Ice Shelf.
Flying in a Ford Trimotor aircraft, Byrd and pilot Bernt Balchen navigated through intense cold and unpredictable weather.
After a 15-hour flight, they passed directly over the South Pole, well ahead of ground relief expeditions.
This achievement demonstrated the potential of aviation for polar research and exploration.
Byrd's flight opened a new chapter in Antarctic exploration and advanced scientific understanding of the continent.
1929
Richard E. Byrd
South Pole
1961day.year
Enos, a chimpanzee, is launched into space. The spacecraft orbits the Earth twice and splashes down off the coast of Puerto Rico.
Enos the chimpanzee becomes the first primate to orbit Earth, circling the globe twice before a safe splashdown.
On November 29, 1961, NASA launched Enos, a chimpanzee, aboard the Mercury-Atlas 5 mission to test life support systems and orbital flight ahead of human missions. The spacecraft completed two orbits at speeds exceeding 17,000 miles per hour, exposing Enos to prolonged weightlessness and reentry stresses. Scientists monitored her vital signs and behavior, confirming that primate physiology could withstand orbital conditions. The capsule safely splashed down off the coast of Puerto Rico, and Enos was recovered in good health. This success paved the way for astronaut John Glenn's orbital flight and marked a critical milestone in the U.S. space program.
1961
Enos
launched into space
spacecraft
Puerto Rico
1972day.year
Atari releases Pong, the first commercially successful video game.
Atari releases Pong, the arcade game that launches the video game industry.
On November 29, 1972, Atari introduced Pong, one of the earliest arcade video games, at a local bar in Sunnyvale, California. Designed by Allan Alcorn, the simple electronic table-tennis simulation quickly captivated players with its intuitive gameplay and competitive appeal. Pong's commercial success validated coin-operated gaming as a lucrative entertainment medium and sparked the birth of a new industry. The game's popularity led to the creation of home console versions and inspired countless developers to innovate in game design and hardware. Pong remains an iconic milestone in technological history and the forerunner of today's global video game market.
1972
Atari
Pong
video game