History Challenge & Journal

[dtaai-maai]

No, not an action against Japan...

[sateeb]

Ahhh..Thailand declares war on the Allies?

[Dannie Boy]

It was a busy old day,
January 21, 1942 (Wednesday)

Rommel began his counteroffensive in North Africa, taking the enemy by complete surprise.[3]

[dtaai-maai]

Ahhh..Thailand declares war on the Allies?

Got it! The US and UK quaking in their boots...

[pharvey]

Ahhh..Thailand declares war on the Allies?

Got it! The US and UK quaking in their boots...

That is a new one on me - never knew that one

[dtaai-maai]

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-his ... nd-england

[pharvey]

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-his ... nd-england

Oh that's why then, they'd have been screwed if they had included Wales (probably why I didn't know)

[Dannie Boy]

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-his ... nd-england

Oh that's why then, they'd have been screwed if they had included Wales (probably why I didn't know)

As was confirmed to Big Boy by the Post Office, England, Wales, Great Britain, the UK - it’s all the same

[PeteC]

Yes, it's lightening! But....what is significant about it. The photo was taken 139 years ago.

phpCJViSWPM.jpg (63.51 KiB) Viewed 436 times

[dtaai-maai]

Probably not this simple, but was it the first photograph of a lightning strike?

[PeteC]

Yes, at 0300 hours all you get is simple.

The Franklin Institute 

On this day in Franklin Institute history, we celebrate the first scientific photograph of lightning taken by William N. Jennings in Philadelphia on September 2, 1882.

From 1880-1896, William N. Jennings planned to capture the diversity and unpredictability of lightning. When he began his journey in 1880, photographic plates were not sensitive enough to capture a lightning streak. It was not until the introduction of better technology that Jennings was able to capture shots of lightning from his roof in Philadelphia.

On September 2, 1882 Jennings captured a clear image of lightning, which he later published in Scientific American. This created widespread enthusiasm in the scientific and artistic communities.

In the 1930s, Jennings received the Wetherhill Medal from The Franklin Institute to honor his contributions to the advancement of physical science. His photographs paved the way for further research into the structure of lightning. Thanks to him, scientists are able to discern distinct and varying patterns of electric discharge.

Jennings worked for different companies to take commercial photographs throughout his life. One company invited him to work aboard the Titanic, but he turned down the offer due to a prior engagement.
Image: Collections of The Franklin Institute, Item #6652

[pharvey]

As we're going for specific dates, let's go for 21 August 1914

[sateeb]

Assassination of Franz Ferdinand?

[dtaai-maai]

In 1995 I did a lot of research on both world wars for a show celebrating the 50th anniversary of the end of WW2. There was lots of interesting and awful stuff like the last soldier to be killed, the first bomb dropped (in Dover, knocking a gardener out of an apple tree ) and all sorts of other first and last factoids. This was obviously early in the war, so let's go for something like the first air dogfight.

[pharvey]

Assassination of Franz Ferdinand?

A little later than that.....