This Day In History : January 23

1970 Australia

Australia's First Amateur Radio Satellite, Oscar 5, Launched from California

On January 23, 1970, Australia launches its first amateur radio satellite, Oscar 5, from California. This milestone marks Australia's entry into satellite communication, enabling amateur radio enthusiasts to conduct experiments in space communications and advancing the country's capabilities in satellite technology.

Also on This Day in History January 23

Discover what happened on January 23 with HISTORY's summaries of major events, anniversaries,
famous births and notable deaths.

Births on This Day, January 23
  • 1907 Hideki Yukawa

    Japanese physician and physicist who shared the 1949 Nobel Prize for Physics for “his prediction of the existence of mesons on the basis of theoretical work on nuclear forces.”

  • 1785 Carl Adolph Agardh

    Swedish botanist and mathematician whose Synopsis alagarum Scandinaviae of 1817 presented a new systematic survey of all algae.

  • 1693 Georg Bernhard Bilfinger

    German philosopher, mathematician, statesman, and author of treatises in astronomy, physics, botany, and theology.

  • 1719 John Landen

    British mathematician who made important contributions on elliptic integrals.

  • 1857 Andrija Mohorovicic

    Croatian meteorologist and geophysicist who discovered the boundary between the Earth's crust and mantle, a boundary now named the Mohorovicic discontinuity.

Deaths on This Day, January 23
  • 1864 Johann Lukas Schönlein

    German physician whose attempts to establish medicine as a natural science helped create modern methods for the teaching and practice of clinical medicine.

  • 1921 Wilhelm von Waldeyer

    He was a German anatomist who coined the terms neuron (1891) and chromosome (1888), and a number of embryological terms (including those to describe the structure of developing teeth).

  • 1805 Claude Chappe

    French engineer who invented the semaphore visual telegraph.

  • 1766 William Caslon

    English typefounder who created (1720-26) the Caslon typeface.

  • 1622 William Baffin

    English explorer who sought the Northwest Passage as a route around the northern coast of North america.

1960

Trieste Dives to Record Depth of 10,911 Meters (35,797 ft)

On January 23, 1960, the bathyscaphe Trieste achieves a historic dive to a record depth of 10,911 meters (35,797 ft) in the Mariana Trench's Challenger Deep. This groundbreaking expedition marks a milestone in deep-sea exploration, providing unprecedented insights into the Earth's oceanic depths.
1556

Deadliest Earthquake in History Claims 830,000 Lives

In 1556, the deadliest earthquake on record strikes Shaanxi, China, causing the deaths of approximately 830,000 people. This catastrophic event devastates the region, highlighting the profound impact of natural disasters on human populations during that era.
1950

Israel Declares Jerusalem as its Capital

On January 23, 1950, Israel officially claims Jerusalem as its capital city, a move that solidifies its historical and religious significance and sparks international debate and diplomatic challenges. This decision underscores Israel's stance on its sovereignty over Jerusalem amidst regional tensions and geopolitical complexities.
1957

Wham-O Acquires Rights to Flying Disc from Walter Frederick Morrison in 1957

On January 23, 1957, Walter Frederick Morrison sells the rights to his flying disc invention to the Wham-O toy company. This transaction leads to the popularization of the "Frisbee," becoming an iconic toy and recreational item worldwide.
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