Episode 809: Unexpected reboot in Aisle 4

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On This Day In History for July 29, 2026

This is the 210th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 155 days remaining in 2026.

• It was on this date in 1818, that French physicist Augustin Fresnel submitted his prizewinning “Memoir on the Diffraction of Light”, precisely accounting for the limited extent to which light spreads into shadows, and thereby demolishing the oldest objection to the wave theory of light.
• July 29, 1914, The Cape Cod Canal opened.
• On July 29, 1945, The BBC Light Programme radio station was launched for mainstream light entertainment and music.
• It was on this date in 1957, that The International Atomic Energy Agency was established.
• Also today in 1958, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law the National Aeronautics and Space Act, which creates the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
• On July 29, 1985, Space Shuttle Challenger launched on STS-51 -F. The shuttle ends up in a lower orbit than planned due to an engine failure during ascent..
• It was also this date in 2005 that Astronomers announced their discovery of the dwarf planet Eris.
• It was 5 years ago today that The International Space Station temporarily spun out of control, moving the ISS 45 degrees out of attitude, following an engine malfunction of Russian module Nauka..

Happy birthday goes out on this date to:

• English cartographer and publisher, George Bradshaw, born on this date in 1801.
• Isidor Isaac Rabi, the American physicist and academic, Nobel Prize Laureate was born 128 years ago today.
• American scientist and engineer, Edgar Cortright, born on this date in 1923.
• Jim Marshall, the English businessman, founded Marshall Amplification was born 103 years ago today.
• Also born on that same date in 1940,  American chemist, Betty Harris.
• American director and producer Ken Burns is 73 today.
• Also born on that same date in 1965,  Canadian actor, producer, and screenwriter, Dean Haglund.
• Also turning 54 today is American actor, producer, and screenwriter Wil Wheaton.

Listener Birthdays

• 29 – Shaun Farrell, host of the Adventures in Scifi Publishing podcast
• 29 – John Kratzer
• 30 – Brian Hunt aka Zaphodbblx
• 31 – Wedding Anniversary of Will The Computer Guy (2007, 9 years)
• 31 – Denise Inglis

And that’s the way it was, on this day in history for July 29, 2026

• If you want to get on the Technorama Birthday Calendar, visit our website and look for the Birthday Calendar link.

News

• NASA’s Webb telescope discovers giant planet hiding in one of astronomy’s most famous systems | ScienceDaily

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Remember When

• Our 1st-ever up-close look at the Martian surface photo of the day for July 22, 2026 | Space

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• One of 50: The First #computer #apple Ever Sold | #sothebys – YouTube

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• If an alien probe dropped off a surprise cargo delivery in your backyard, what sci-fi technology are you hoping is inside?

Patreon Topic this week

• Chuck’s mystery charge

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