International Day of Light 16 May 2024

Today is the International Day of Light! Held on May 16, the day marks the anniversary of invention of the laser by the American physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman in 1960. This pioneering creation epitomises how innovation can revolutionise society, impacting fields from communications to healthcare. The scope of the celebration extends beyond lasers, embracing light"s presence in every aspect of human existence, from art and culture to science and technology.

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Today in History

Serene waters on a trembling earth
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16 May 2025Endangered Species Day

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19 Feb 2024Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
18 May 2025International Museum Day
21 Oct 2023International Archaeology Day
11 Jan 2026Blue walls of Chefchaouen, Morocco
19 Jun 2025Cinque Torri, Dolomites, Italy
17 Sep 2025A young bull moose, Denali National Park, Alaska, United States
26 Dec 2024Boxing Day
Masterpiece of acoustic engineering
24 Apr 2024The white trilliums in Ontario, Canada
26 Mar 2025Manatee Appreciation Day
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6 Mar 2025Bighorn sheep in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, United States
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30 May 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, United States
Call of the wilderness
18 Feb 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
Secluded sands in Mexico
8 May 2024Marseille welcomes to Olympic torch
The road less taken?
29 Jan 2024Gollinger Waterfalls, Salzburg, Austria
To the infinite and back
3 Jun 2025World Bicycle Day
22 Jun 2025World Rainforest Day
Finding beauty in ruins
14 Jan 2025Village of Zahara de la Sierra, Cadiz, Spain
A view that’s out of this world
Teeming with trout
14 Oct 2023Ring of fire solar eclipse
Just a pinch