Today in History

• 1981 The home computer ZX81 is launched

  The British ZX81 was one of the world’s first home computer and was sold over 1.5 million times.

• 1970 The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty enters into force

  Nuclear powers China, Russia, U.S., U.K., and France initiated the treaty in 1968. It has since been ratified by 190 nations around the world.

• 1960 Alberto Korda takes his famous picture of revolutionary Che Guevara

  The iconic photograph, called Guerrillero Heroico, was taken at a memorial service for the victims of the La Coubre explosion.

• 1872 The air brake is patented

  George Westinghouse is credited with the design of the railway braking system that uses compressed air.

• 1616 Nicolaus Copernicus’ revolutionary book De revolutionibus orbium coelestium is banned by the Catholic Church

  In the book, Copernicus claimed that the Earth revolves around the sun. The Church maintained Ptolemy’s geocentric system. The book is considered a milestone in the history of astronomy.