Marconi Dies: Wireless Communication Pioneer at Rest
He proved the scientists wrong by doing it. The physics establishment had calculated that radio waves, traveling in straight lines, couldn't curve over the horizon. Guglielmo Marconi ignored this and transmitted a Morse code signal from Cornwall to Newfoundland in 1901 — about 3,500 kilometers. He was right because the ionosphere bounces radio waves in ways nobody had modeled yet. He died in Rome in July 1937 at 63. Radio operators around the world went silent for two minutes in his honor. Every device in your house that broadcasts without a wire is his inheritance.
July 20, 1937
89 years ago
What Else Happened on July 20
The fortress fell in July, but Titus's 60,000 legionaries found themselves trapped in Jerusalem's narrow streets. Zealot fighters turned every alley into an amb…
Kardam of Bulgaria crushed the Byzantine army at the Battle of Marcellae, forcing Emperor Constantine VI to pay annual tribute to the Bulgarian state. This humi…
The Viking warlord who'd terrorized France for three decades stood at Chartres' gates in July 911, starving out a city that refused to surrender. Rollo had burn…
Richard couldn't speak French when he became Duke of Normandy on July 20, 1189. Didn't matter. The 31-year-old had spent most of his life in Aquitaine, his moth…
Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Pope Gregory IX ended their bitter feud by signing the Treaty of San Germano, brokered by the Dominican friar Guala. This ag…
The garrison surrendered after three months of siege, but Edward I refused to accept. He'd spent £40 building a massive trebuchet called "War Wolf" and wanted t…
Talk to History
Have a conversation with historical figures who witnessed this era. Ask questions, explore perspectives, and bring history to life.