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Archive of Human Genius
The world’s largest database of good news and social change milestones from throughout human history
A Timeline of Human History A Database of Good News An Imagining of our Collective Future
We are building the world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news. Change is not only possible, it has happened consistently throughout human history.
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1859 C.E.
Planté's first model consisted of two lead sheets separated by rubber strips and rolled into a spiral. His batteries were first used to power the lights in train carriages while stopped at a station.
1856 C.E.
A heat pump is a device that uses electricity to transfer heat from a colder place to a warmer place. Air-source heat pumps are now among are most effective climate solutions. In 1856, Rittinger recognized the principle of the heat pump while conducting experiments on the use of water vapor's latent heat for the evaporation of salt brine. As a result, the heat pump was used to dry salt in salt marshes in Austria.
1852 C.E.
June 13
The Act made New Zealand independent in domestic matters for all intents and purposes from its earliest days as a British colony.
1851 C.E.
February 9
It was only in the early 1900s that Moby-Dick gained attention and acclaim. During his lifetime, the novel sold a scant 3,000 copies. In modern times the novel is not only considered a great American classic, it is also heralded as one of greatest novels in the English language.
1850 C.E.
February 21
Fashion magazines from 1850 and 1860 show the cowboy boot with top-stitching, cutouts of geometric or other natural elements and under-slung heel.
1850 C.E.
January 31
The form of the modern classical guitar is credited to Spanish guitar maker Antonio Torres circa 1850. Torres increased the size of the guitar body, altered its proportions, and invented the "fan" top bracing pattern.
1848 C.E.
February 21
The political pamphlet, arguably the most influential in history. proclaimed that "the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles."
1845 C.E.
February 2
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an 1845 memoir and treatise on abolition written by famous orator and former slave Frederick Douglass . It is generally held to be the most famous of a number of narratives written by former slaves during the same period.
1844 C.E.
November 6
The Dominican Republic's first constitution was adopted on November 6, 1844. The state was commonly known as Santo Domingo in English until the early 20th century.
1837 C.E.
October 4
The wrought-iron framed plow had a polished steel share. This made it ideal for the tough soil of the Midwest United States and worked better than other plows.
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