1901day.year
Guglielmo Marconi transmits the first transatlantic radio signal from Poldhu, Cornwall, England to Saint John's, Newfoundland.
Guglielmo Marconi sends the first wireless radio signal across the Atlantic from Cornwall to Newfoundland in 1901.
On December 11, 1901, Guglielmo Marconi successfully transmitted the Morse code letter "S" across the Atlantic Ocean.
The faint signal traveled over 2,100 miles from Poldhu, Cornwall, to Signal Hill in Newfoundland.
This achievement proved that radio waves could refract off the ionosphere beyond the horizon.
Marconi's experiments involved spark-gap transmitters and long-wire antennas to boost signal range.
The milestone ushered in the age of global wireless communication, reducing dependency on undersea cables.
It paved the way for maritime distress calls and international broadcasting.
Marconi was later awarded the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking work in radio technology.
1901
Guglielmo Marconi
Poldhu, Cornwall
Saint John's
Newfoundland
1972day.year
Apollo 17 becomes the sixth and final Apollo mission to land on the Moon.
Apollo 17 completes the sixth and final crewed mission to land on the Moon during NASA’s Apollo program.
On December 11, 1972, NASA's Apollo 17 mission lands in the Taurus–Littrow valley, marking the last time humans set foot on the lunar surface. Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt conduct three moonwalks, collecting rock samples and deploying scientific instruments. Schmitt becomes the first scientist-astronaut to walk on the Moon, enriching scientific returns. The crew records extensive geological data, enhancing our understanding of lunar geology. Apollo 17’s success caps nearly five years of lunar exploration, leaving a legacy of achievement in human spaceflight.
1972
Apollo 17
Apollo mission
Moon
2020day.year
The Food and Drug Administration issues an Emergency Use Authorization on the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the first COVID-19 vaccine to be approved by the agency.
On December 11, 2020, the U.S. FDA grants Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, the first to combat the pandemic.
On December 11, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization for the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, marking the first authorized vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 in the United States. Developed using novel mRNA technology, the vaccine demonstrated approximately 95% efficacy in large-scale clinical trials. The authorization followed rigorous safety and efficacy assessments conducted by FDA experts under intense global scrutiny. Within days, distribution began to frontline health care workers and high-risk populations. This landmark decision accelerated the rollout of mass vaccination campaigns across the country and provided hope amid surging COVID-19 cases. It also heralded a new era in mRNA-based therapeutics and vaccine development. The approval set the stage for subsequent vaccine authorizations worldwide. Public health officials considered it a turning point in efforts to curb the global pandemic.
2020
Food and Drug Administration
Emergency Use Authorization
Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
COVID-19 vaccine