Today in News History

On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 1405, Ming admiral Zheng He sets sail to explore the world for the first time. In 1723, Jean-François Marmontel, French historian and author (died 1799) was born. In 1735, Mathematical calculations suggest that it is on this day that dwarf planet Pluto moved inside the orbit of Neptune for the last time before 1979. In 1801, French astronomer Jean-Louis Pons makes his first comet discovery. In the next 27 years he discovers another 36 comets, more than any other person in history. In 1961, Antony Jenkins, English banker and businessman was born. In 1962, Project Apollo: At a press conference, NASA announces lunar orbit rendezvous as the means to land astronauts on the Moon, and return them to Earth. In 1962, First transatlantic satellite television transmission. In 1979, America's first space station, Skylab, is destroyed as it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean. In 2013, Eugene P. Wilkinson, American admiral (born 1918) passed away. In 2021, Richard Branson becomes the first civilian to be launched into space via his Virgin Galactic spacecraft. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.