1875 – 17 nations (including the US) signed the ‘Convention du Mètre’ in Paris, France, establishing the International Bureau of Weights and Measures.
http://www.bipm.org/utils/common/documents/official/metre-convention.pdf
1891 – The first public demonstration of a prototype Kinetoscope was given at Edison’s laboratory, for approximately 150 members of the National Federation of Women’s Clubs. The New York Sun reported on the demonstration.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/edhtml/edmvhist.html
1958 – Robert Baumann obtained a patent for a satellite. (US. No. 2,835,548). The patent stipulated the government could use the technology without having to pay royalties.
http://www.google.com/patents?id=3G9oAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4#v=onepage&q&f=false
1990 – The Hubble Space Telescope sent its first light image back to Earth, taken with the wide field/planetary camera.
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1990/04/
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