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A Tribute of Visionaries and Breakthroughs
February 19th is marked on the calendars as the day, which was the stage to epoch-making events in the spheres of sciences, technology, and culture. Not only have these events changed the way things are done but they also had an extraordinary impact on the stories of the past that has tried to go against the system in order to bring about new inventions and a new order in the society.
The Birth of a Heliocentric Vision: Nikolaus Kopernikus
February 19, 1473 was a day in the city of Toruń, Poland, when Nicolaus Copernicus was born. His work would bear fruit later which would question much of modern astronomy and transform our views about the universe. Copernicus offered a critical and innovative vision of the solar system, where the Sun and not the Earth takes the center position. The publication of his theory, titled ‘De revolutionibus orbium coelestium’ (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), set the mark for the beginning of the Scientific Revolution. The heliocentric theory by Copernicus started the foundation to the later astronomical work by people such as Galileo Galilei and Johannes Kepler which resulted into a fundamental change on how we look at the universe.
Innovation in Sound: The phonograph of Thomas Edison and its Impact on Music
The date is February 19, 1878. That was another big step revolution of technology Thomas Edison got the patent for phonograph, which could not only record but also, play back sound. It was remarkable and unparalleled in the history of music and that opened up new doors to recording music, voices and other sounds that eventually led to the formation of the current music industry. Edison’s phonograph was more than just an invention – it has shaped the audio world by affecting various technologies for recording and reproduction
Sparking a Movement: Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Moment”
February 19, 1963 became the head starting point of the second-wave feminism in the United States as it was the day when the publication of Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique” was announced. Friedan’s criticism of the postwar glorification of women as just housewives coincided with the voice of many, saliently reflecting the general context of dissatisfaction and peculiar untapped potential of American housewives. The book defied the established society norms and, in fact, presented the systematic oppression of women to the world, spawning a global campaign that would pursue women rights, gender equality, and reproductive rights. Friedan’s book is considered by many as a classic in feminist literature because it symbolizes an era where women’s rights suffered the biggest challenge.