1666 – Seven mathematicians and seven physicists gathered by Jean-Baptiste Colbert met in the king’s library to found the French Academy of Sciences.
http://www.interacademies.net/Academies/ByRegion/EuropeCentralAsia/France.aspx
http://www.academie-sciences.fr/
1882 – Edward H. Johnson of the Edison Illumination Company strung a single power cord with red white and blue lights on his Christmas tree becoming the first person to use Christmas tree lights.
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/12/1222johnson-creates-christmas-lights/
1885 – A patent for a gravity switchback railway was issued to La Marcus Thompson of Coney Island, New York. You and I might call it a “roller coaster.”
http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT332762
1968 – At 3:01 PM Eastern time, Apollo 8 transmitted the first US. live telecast from a manned spacecraft in outer space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sR0VI7dSksk
Read Tom’s science fiction and other fiction books at Merritt’s Books site.