International Day of Light 16 May 2024

Today is the International Day of Light! Held on May 16, the day marks the anniversary of invention of the laser by the American physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman in 1960. This pioneering creation epitomises how innovation can revolutionise society, impacting fields from communications to healthcare. The scope of the celebration extends beyond lasers, embracing light"s presence in every aspect of human existence, from art and culture to science and technology.

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Today in History

Serene waters on a trembling earth
Owl be seeing you
16 May 2025Endangered Species Day

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Home of racing legends
23 Sep 2024Sea otter
27 Jan 2025Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
15 Jan 2025266 years of the British Museum
Something to ‘bee’ thankful for
27 Sep 2024Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
4 Mar 2024Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica
Sep 1, 2023National Mushroom Month
6 Sep 2024Glenariff Forest Park, Northern Ireland, UK
22 Mar 2024World Water Day
22 Mar 2026World Water Day
14 Apr 2025Atlantic spotted dolphin near Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal
7 Mar 2026The Brocken, Harz National Park, Germany
When landscape met wilderness
History awaits atop the hill
Fly me to the moon
An underwater paradise
25 Nov 2025Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
A legendary islet
28 Jan 2025Short-eared owl
13 Mar 2024Lake Magadi, Kenya
12 May 2024Skiddaw, Lake District National Park
13 Nov 2023Serra de Tramuntana, Balearic Islands, Majorca, Spain
24 Jun 2025Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah, United States
16 Feb 2024Female pyrrhuloxia in Texas, USA
A public restroom or a tourist spot?
19 Feb 2025European river otter
7 Oct 2025Autumn colours below Mount Sneffels near Ridgway, Colorado, United States
3 Dec 2023Advent Sunday
6 May 2025An ultralight aircraft flying over the sands of Namibia