1539 – Hernando DeSoto claims Florida for Spain.

1889 – The first long-distance electric power transmission line in the United States is completed, running 14 miles between a generator at Willamette Falls and downtown Portland, Oregon, United States.

1940 – World War II: The Luftwaffe bombs Paris, but not TOO hard, because they know they’ll be dining there in a couple of weeks…

1946 – First bikini bathing suit displayed (Paris), although paintings of women in bikini-style suits date back to the Roman era.

1965 – Launch of Gemini 4, the first multi-day space mission by a NASA crew. Crew-member Ed White performs the first American spacewalk (EVA).

1969 – Last episode of Star Trek airs on NBC. Geeks still can’t get over it.

1979 – A blowout at the Ixtoc I oil well in the southern Gulf of Mexico causes at least 600,000 tons (176,400,000 gallons)(4 million barrels) of oil to be spilled into the waters.

1991 – Mount Unzen erupts in Japan in Kyushu killing 43 people, all of them either researchers or journalists. Should’ve sent lawyers…