This Day In History : April 25

2019 United States

Microsoft Reaches $1 Trillion Market Valuation

Microsoft becomes the third U.S. firm to be listed with a market worth of $1 trillion, following Apple and Amazon. This milestone reflects the company's growth in cloud computing and software services. Microsoft's valuation underscores its pivotal role in the tech industry.

Also on This Day in History April 25

Discover what happened on April 25 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, April 25
  • 1873 Félix d’Hérelle

    Canadian-French bacteriologist who is generally known as the discoverer of the bacteriophage, a virus that infects bacteria.

  • 1842 François Hennébique

    French engineer who was an important leader in experimenting with various ways of reinforcing concrete with iron and steel.

  • 1769 Marc Isambard Brunel

    French-English engineer and inventor who solved the historic problem of underwater tunneling.

  • 1874 Guglielmo Marconi

    Italian electrical engineer and inventor who invented the wireless telegraph (1935) known today as radio.

  • 1918 Gerard Henri de Vaucouleurs

    French-born U.S. astronomer whose pioneering studies of distant galaxies contributed to knowledge of the age and large-scale structure of the universe.

Deaths on This Day, April 25
  • 1958 Charles Mauguin

    French mineralogist and crystallographer who was one of the first to make a systematic study of the silicate minerals.

  • 1928 Floyd Bennett

    American aviator who piloted the explorer Richard E. Byrd on the first successful flight over the North Pole on 9 May 1926, in a three-engine Fokker monoplane, Josephine Ford.

  • 1853 William Beaumont

    American army surgeon who was the first person to observe and study human digestion as it occurs in the stomach.

  • 1840 Siméon-Denis Poisson

    French mathematician who is known known for his work on definite integrals, advances in Fourier series, electromagnetic theory, and probability.

  • 1744 Anders Celsius

    Swedish astronomer who is famous for the temperature scale he developed.

1901

New York Becomes First U.S. State to Require Auto License Plates

In 1901, New York introduced a requirement for automobiles to have license plates, with an initial fee set at $1. This measure was a pivotal step in vehicle regulation. It laid the groundwork for modern vehicle registration systems across the United States.
1859

1859 Ground Broken for Suez Canal in Egypt

Groundbreaking for the Suez Canal took place in Egypt. This monumental engineering project aimed to create a direct maritime route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Upon completion, the canal significantly shortened travel time between Europe and Asia, transforming global trade.
1954

Bell Labs announces the first solar battery made from silicon

Bell Labs reveals the first silicon solar battery, a groundbreaking innovation with an efficiency of about 6%. This development marks a significant step in harnessing solar energy for practical use. The silicon solar battery paves the way for future advancements in renewable energy technologies.
1931

Porsche officially added to the commercial register in Germany

Porsche, founded by Ferdinand Porsche, is officially registered as a company in Stuttgart, Germany. This marks the beginning of one of the most iconic and influential automobile manufacturers in history. Known for its high-performance sports cars, Porsche has become a symbol of engineering excellence and automotive innovation.
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