December 26

Events - Science & Technology

1843day.year

The discovery of octonions by John T. Graves, who denoted them with a boldface O, was announced to his mathematician friend William Hamilton, discoverer of quaternions, in a letter on this date.

In 1843, John T. Graves revealed the existence of octonions, an eight-dimensional extension of Hamilton’s quaternions.
On December 26, 1843, Irish mathematician John T. Graves introduced octonions in a letter to his friend William Rowan Hamilton, the discoverer of quaternions. Octonions form an eight-dimensional algebra over the real numbers, representing one of the four normed division algebras. Graves's discovery expanded the realm of hypercomplex numbers beyond Hamilton's four-dimensional quaternions. Though non-associative, octonions exhibit unique properties that have since found applications in theoretical physics and string theory. The introduction of octonions marked a significant milestone in the development of algebraic structures. Graves's work highlighted the deep connections between number theory and geometry, influencing subsequent mathematical research.
1843 octonions John T. Graves William Hamilton quaternions
1898day.year

Marie and Pierre Curie announce the isolation of radium.

In 1898, Marie and Pierre Curie announced the isolation of radium, a discovery that transformed the study of radioactivity.
On December 26, 1898, French physicists Marie and Pierre Curie presented their successful isolation of radium to the Paris Academy of Sciences. Extracted from pitchblende ore, radium exhibited intense radioactive properties, far surpassing uranium in radioactivity. The Curies meticulously processed tons of ore to obtain minute quantities of pure radium chloride. Their discovery confirmed the existence of a new element and expanded understanding of atomic structure and radioactivity. Radium's unique properties paved the way for advances in cancer treatment and medical diagnostics. The achievement earned Marie Curie her first Nobel Prize in Physics and solidified the Curies' place at the forefront of scientific research. Radium's discovery marked a milestone in both chemistry and physics, influencing generations of scientists.
1898 Marie Pierre Curie radium
1975day.year

Tu-144, the world's first commercial supersonic aircraft, surpassing Mach 2, goes into service.

The Tupolev Tu-144 becomes the first commercial supersonic transport to enter service, exceeding Mach 2.
On December 26, 1975, the Soviet-designed Tupolev Tu-144 entered commercial service as the world's first supersonic transport aircraft. Capable of cruising above Mach 2, the Tu-144 aimed to revolutionize long-distance air travel with unprecedented speed. The aircraft featured a sleek delta wing design and retractable canards for enhanced stability at high speeds. Despite its technological breakthroughs, the Tu-144 faced high operating costs and reliability concerns. Technical issues and economic factors led to its withdrawal from service after only a few years. However, the program provided valuable data that would influence future supersonic aircraft development.
1975 Tu-144 supersonic aircraft Mach 2