Browsing: Science & Technology

A Brief History On November 4, 1962, the US conducted the last event of Operation Fishbowl, a series of nuclear blasts conducted at high altitude. Digging Deeper Operation Fishbowl consisted of 5 tests, part of the larger Operation Dominic, that in 1962 saw an incredible 31 nuclear blasts.  Why so many nuclear test blasts in such a short time?  Because the Soviets had resumed testing after an unofficial nuclear test moratorium between the superpowers from 1959 to 1961. Luckily for the health of humans around the globe, the US, UK and USSR signed the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in…

A Brief History On November 2, 1898, the day recognized as the “birth of cheerleading,” University of Minnesota student Johnny Campbell became the first cheerleader in history, directing fans in cheering on the Golden Gophers football team.  UM proudly calls itself the “Birthplace of Cheerleading,” and apparently deserves that title. Digging Deeper Prior to Campbell’s date with history, regular fans that would start cheers in the stands were called “cheerleaders,” on an unofficial basis.  Today, most high school, college, and professional sports teams have cheerleaders, with a few notable exceptions. The Cleveland Browns famously or infamously do not and never…

A Brief History On November 1, 1951, the US Army conducted nuclear tests in the Nevada desert that included a diabolical exercise in which 6,500 US Army troops were exposed to the effects of a nearby nuclear detonation and its associated radiation. Digging Deeper Called Operation Buster–Jangle, the US conducted a series of seven nuclear tests, that included the November 1 test in which the 6500 troops, of which participation was not voluntary, were dug in foxholes and trenches only six miles from an air burst nuclear bomb of 21 kilotons yield, about that of the Nagasaki bomb.  After having…

A Brief History On October 30, 1985, the American Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off on its 9th mission, a successful flight that lasted over seven days and was notable for having taken the first Dutch astronaut into space. Digging Deeper Challenger had a successful career from its first flight into space in April of 1983 through its 9th flight in October and November of 1985, spending nearly 1500 hours in space flight.  Unfortunately, as we have chronicled, on January 28, 1986, the magnificent space machine blew up and went to pieces only 73 seconds into its 10th and final flight,…

A Brief History On October 29, 1955, the Soviet Navy of the USSR suffered yet another in a long line of what we call “Naval Oops Moments” when the battleship Novorossiysk struck a World War II era naval mine and sank. Digging Deeper The Novorossiysk was the former Italian battleship Giulio Cesare, commissioned way back in 1914, but turned over to the Soviets after World War II.  Ironically, the big ship was sunk in her own home harbor at Sevastopol, the Crimean headquarters of the Soviet Black Sea Fleet. Sadly, 608 sailors died in the incident, and the ship was…