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In 2002, PayPal Cofounder Elon Musk established the California-based transportation company SpaceX. In 2010, SpaceX became the first private company to place a spacecraft into orbit and successfully recover it. The craft, called Dragon, was launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. Eventually, SpaceX hopes to fly missions to the International Space Station for NASA. Although Dragon was unmanned during its maiden voyage, it was carrying what secret piece of cargo? More...
Historic Trivia pick
Robert Liston, a surgeon in the 1800s, performed an operation with a 300% mortality rate: Instead of saving the patient, he killed three people.
Liston was renowned for being one of the fastest surgeons alive, which at the time was a very good thing. Anesthesia as we know it didn't exist, so patients were awake for the entire procedure, meaning the shorter it was, the better.
Liston was performing a leg amputation, but worked so fast that he accidentally cut off two fingers on his assistant's hand. Both the patient and the assistant died later of gangrene, most likely due to the saw being unclean.
What about the third death? Well, doctors and other spectators would often watch these surgeries from the gallery, which was much more up close and personal than medical galleries today. During the procedure, Liston accidentally swiped near an elderly doctor with a blade, slicing the fabric of the doctor's suit coat. Thinking he had been cut open, the doctor went into shock and died of a subsequent heart attack. Thus, three people died during an operation that was meant to save one life.
SpaceX Launches and Returns a Spacecraft from Orbit
In 2002, PayPal Cofounder Elon Musk established the California-based transportation company SpaceX. In 2010, SpaceX became the first private company to place a spacecraft into orbit and successfully recover it. The craft, called Dragon, was launched on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. Eventually, SpaceX hopes to fly missions to the International Space Station for NASA. Although Dragon was unmanned during its maiden voyage, it was carrying what secret piece of cargo? More...
- 1991 - Belavezha Accords signed
The Belavezha Accords, that disbanded the USSR and replaced it with Commonwealth of Independent States was signed. - 1991 - Romanian Constitution comes into force
Passed through a referendum, the Constitution marked a return to democracy for Romania after 42 years of Communist rule. - 1991 - Creation of Commonwealth of Independent States
The international organization was formed by Belarus, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation as a political forum for members of the former Soviet Union. - 1987 - First Intifada begins
The Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories began after an Israeli army truck attacked a car and killed 4 Palestinians. The Intifada ended in 1991 after the Madrid Conference. - 1941 - U.S. enters WWII
One day after the Japanese Imperial Navy launched an attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States declared war on Japan and entered World War II.
Historic Trivia pickRobert Liston, a surgeon in the 1800s, performed an operation with a 300% mortality rate: Instead of saving the patient, he killed three people.
Liston was renowned for being one of the fastest surgeons alive, which at the time was a very good thing. Anesthesia as we know it didn't exist, so patients were awake for the entire procedure, meaning the shorter it was, the better.
Liston was performing a leg amputation, but worked so fast that he accidentally cut off two fingers on his assistant's hand. Both the patient and the assistant died later of gangrene, most likely due to the saw being unclean.
What about the third death? Well, doctors and other spectators would often watch these surgeries from the gallery, which was much more up close and personal than medical galleries today. During the procedure, Liston accidentally swiped near an elderly doctor with a blade, slicing the fabric of the doctor's suit coat. Thinking he had been cut open, the doctor went into shock and died of a subsequent heart attack. Thus, three people died during an operation that was meant to save one life.
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61-BLUES
