08 March - Ferdinand von Zeppelin death anniversary

 

Ferdinand von Zeppelin, born on 08 July 1838, in Konstanz, Germany, was a pioneering German general and aviation innovator renowned for creating the Zeppelin rigid airship. His fascination with aviation began during his service as an observer in the American Civil War, where he made his first ascent in a tethered balloon. Zeppelin's vision of a rigid airship, featuring a durable framework and filled with hydrogen for lift, culminated in the successful flight of the LZ 1 over Lake Constance on 02 July 1900. Despite initial challenges, his airships gained commercial success, with the German airship company DELAG operating passenger services by 1910. Zeppelins played significant roles in both military reconnaissance and civilian aviation, most notably with the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin's round-the-world flight in 1929. However, the Hindenburg disaster in 1937, which saw the destruction of the LZ 129 Hindenburg, marked the decline of rigid airships. Ferdinand von Zeppelin's contributions to aviation were widely celebrated until his death on 08 March 1917, in Berlin. His innovations laid foundational work in aeronautics, leaving a legacy that endures in both historical and cultural contexts.

08 March - William Howard Taft death anniversary

 

William Howard Taft, born on 15 September 1857, in Cincinnati, Ohio, was an American statesman, jurist, and the 27th President of the United States. Here is a brief overview of William Howard Taft:

1. Education and Early Career: Taft came from a prominent family and graduated from Yale College in 1878. He then attended Cincinnati Law School, graduating in 1880. Taft practiced law in Cincinnati and served as a judge in the Ohio Superior Court.

2. Governor-General of the Philippines: In 1900, President William McKinley appointed Taft as the first civilian Governor-General of the Philippines, overseeing the American administration of the islands.

3. Secretary of War: In 1904, Taft became Secretary of War under President Theodore Roosevelt. He played a key role in the administration's efforts to modernize the armed forces and implement progressive reforms.

4. Presidential Election of 1908: Taft won the 1908 presidential election as the Republican candidate, succeeding Theodore Roosevelt. He defeated Democrat William Jennings Bryan.

5. Dollar Diplomacy: Taft's foreign policy, known as "Dollar Diplomacy," aimed to promote American economic interests abroad, especially in Latin America and East Asia. It involved using American investment to boost stability and influence in other countries.

6. Challenges and Progressive Reforms: Taft faced internal divisions within the Republican Party, particularly with progressive Republicans. He initiated antitrust suits, supported the 16th Amendment (income tax), and expanded conservation efforts.

7. Presidential Election of 1912: In the election of 1912, Taft faced a divided Republican Party, leading to the formation of the Progressive Party with Theodore Roosevelt as its candidate. Taft lost to Woodrow Wilson, the Democratic candidate.

8. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court: After leaving the presidency, Taft taught law at Yale and later served as the 10th Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, nominated by President Warren G. Harding.

9. Later Years: Taft's tenure as Chief Justice was marked by efforts to streamline the Supreme Court's workload. He served until his resignation in 1930 due to health issues.

10. Death: William Howard Taft passed away on 08 March 1930, in Washington, D.C.

William Howard Taft's legacy includes his contributions to the legal and judicial system, as well as his presidency during a period of significant political and social change in the United States.

08 March - Maha Shivaratri

 

Maha Shivaratri, also known as Shivratri, is a Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is observed annually in honor of Lord Shiva's marriage to Goddess Parvati. The name "Maha Shivaratri" translates to the "Great Night of Shiva," and the festival usually falls on the 13th night and 14th day of the lunar month of Phalguna or Maagha in the Hindu calendar.

Key aspects of Maha Shivaratri include fasting, meditation, prayers, and offerings to Lord Shiva. Devotees often visit Shiva temples, perform Rudra Abhishekam (a ritual of offering various items to Lord Shiva), and participate in night-long vigils. Many Hindus believe that observing Maha Shivaratri with devotion and sincerity can bring blessings, cleanse sins, and lead to spiritual awakening.

The festival holds significance in various legends associated with Lord Shiva, and it is celebrated with enthusiasm in different parts of India and other countries with Hindu communities. The date of Maha Shivaratri varies each year in the Gregorian calendar, as it is based on the Hindu lunar calendar.

08 March - Johannes Diderik van der Waals death anniversary

 

Johannes Diderik van der Waals (1837–1923) was a Dutch physicist and thermodynamicist known for his work in the field of molecular sciences. He was born on November 23, 1837, in Leiden, Netherlands.

Van der Waals' most significant contributions were in the study of the behavior of gases and the development of the van der Waals equation. In 1873, he proposed an equation of state for gases that accounted for the finite size of gas molecules and the attractive forces between them. This equation, known as the van der Waals equation, provided a more accurate description of real gas behavior than the ideal gas law, particularly at higher pressures and lower temperatures.

His work helped to bridge the gap between the idealized behavior described by the ideal gas law and the observed behavior of real gases. Van der Waals' equation laid the groundwork for further developments in the field of thermodynamics and played a crucial role in the understanding of phase transitions.

Johannes Diderik van der Waals was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1910 for his work on the equation of state for gases and liquids. His contributions to the understanding of molecular interactions and the behavior of fluids have had a lasting impact on the field of physical chemistry. Johannes Diderik van der Waals passed away on March 8, 1923.

 

08 March - Otto Hahn birth anniversary

 

Otto Hahn (1879-1968) was a German chemist who is best known for his pioneering work in the field of nuclear chemistry. He was born on March 8, 1879, in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.

One of Hahn's most significant contributions to science was the discovery of nuclear fission. In 1938, working with Fritz Strassmann, Hahn discovered that when uranium nuclei are bombarded with neutrons, they can split into smaller fragments, releasing a large amount of energy. This groundbreaking discovery laid the foundation for the development of nuclear power and atomic weapons.

Although Hahn made the discovery, it was his collaborator, Lise Meitner, who provided the theoretical explanation for nuclear fission. Despite this, Hahn was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1944 for the discovery of the fission of heavy atomic nuclei.

Otto Hahn's later years were marked by his opposition to the use of nuclear technology for military purposes, particularly after witnessing the devastating effects of atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. He became an advocate for peaceful applications of nuclear energy.

Otto Hahn's contributions to science and his ethical stance on the use of nuclear technology have left a lasting impact on the field of nuclear chemistry and the broader scientific community.

08 March - Parijat tree and flower stamps issued in 1997

 

A Complete Set of 2 nos (Se-tenant Pair) commemorartive postage stamps issued on (08.March.1997) the Parijat tree and flower : Parijat is considered to be a divine tree. It is widely known that the flowers of parijat blossom in the evening hours only and shed off the next morning.Its branches are rectangular and its flowers are fragrant. The stem of the flower is saffron in colour and the petals are white.The flowers blooming between August to October. In India , they grow in the outer Himalayas at the height of 1400 mtrs , and are found in tracts of Jammu & Kashmir,  Nepal, to East of Assam , Bengal , Tripura extended through the central region up to Godavari in the south.Besides India , they are found in Thailand, Indonesia.

08 march - Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher passed away

 

 

Balasaheb Gangadhar Kher, was the first chief minister of Bombay State which consisted of present-day Maharashtra and Gujarat States of India. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India in 1954. He passed away on 8 March 1957.

08 March - World Maths Day

 

World Maths Day (World Math Day in American English) is an online international mathematics competition, powered by Mathletics (a learning platform from 3P Learning, the same organisation behind Reading Eggs and Mathseeds).Smaller elements of the wider Mathletics program effectively power the World Maths Day event.

The first World Maths Day started in 2007.Despite these origins, the phrases "World Maths Day" and "World Math Day" are trademarks, and not to be confused with other competitions such as the International Mathematical Olympiad or days such as Pi Day. In 2010, World Maths Day created a Guinness World Record for the Largest Online Maths Competition.

The next World Maths Day will take place on the 8th of March 2024

18 February - Maha Shivaratri festival

 

 

 

Maha Shivaratri or simply Shivaratri (Sanskrit: महाशिवरात्रि, ) is a major Hindu festival which marks the day of the marriage of the Hindu deities Shiva and Shakti. The name also refers to the night when Shiva is regarded to perform his divine dance, called the Tandava.

A Shivaratri – "night of Shiva" – is observed on the night before the new moon during every month of the luni-solar Hindu calendar. Once a year, in late winter and before the arrival of summer (February/March), this night is observed as "Maha Shivaratri" – "the great night of Shiva".

This day falls in the month of Phalguna as per the North Indian Hindu calendar and in Magha as per the South Indian Hindu calendar (see Amanta and Purnimanta systems).According to the South Indian calendar, Maha Shivaratri is observed on Chaturdashi Tithi during Krishna Paksha in the month of Magha, and in other parts of India, on the 13th or 14th night of Krishna Paksha in Phalguna of the Hindu calendar, the Gregorian date remaining the same.

It is a notable festival in Hinduism, marking a remembrance of "overcoming darkness and ignorance" in life and the world. It is observed by remembering Shiva and chanting prayers, fasting, and meditating on ethics and virtues such as honesty, non-injury to others, charity, forgiveness, and the discovery of Shiva.Ardent devotees stay awake throughout this night. Others visit one of the Shiva temples or go on a pilgrimage to the Jyotirlingams. The festival has been integral to Hinduism and its origin predates recorded history, but some western Indologists believe this festival originated in 5th century BCE.

In Kashmir Shaivism, the festival is called Har-ratri or phonetically simpler Haerath or Herath by Shiva devotees of the Kashmir region.

 

08 March - Johannes Kepler discovered the third law of planetary motion.

 

On 08 March 1618, Johannes Kepler discovered the third law of planetary motion.

Kepler's laws of planetary motion are three scientific laws describing the motion of planets around the Sun, published by Johannes Kepler between 1609 and 1619. These improved the heliocentric theory of Nicolaus Copernicus, replacing its circular orbits with epicycles with elliptical trajectories, and explaining how planetary velocities vary.

09 March - Mars 7 releases the descent module too early, missing Mars

 

Mars 7 (Russian: Марс-7), also known as 3MP No.51P was a Soviet spacecraft launched in 1973 to explore Mars. A 3MP bus spacecraft which comprised the final mission of the Mars programme, it consisted of a lander and a coast stage with instruments to study Mars as it flew past. Due to a malfunction, the lander failed to perform a maneuver necessary to enter the Martian atmosphere, missing the planet and remaining in heliocentric orbit along with the coast stage.

Mars 7 was launched by a Proton-K carrier rocket with a Blok D upper stage, flying from Baikonur Cosmodrome Site 81/24. The launch occurred at 17:00:17 UTC on 9 August 1973, with the first three stages placing the spacecraft and upper stage into a low Earth parking orbit before the Blok D fired to propel Mars 7 into heliocentric orbit bound for Mars. The spacecraft performed a course correction on 16 August 1973.

Mars 7's lander separated from the flyby bus on 9 March 1974. Initially, it failed to separate. However, it was eventually released to begin its descent. Due to a retrorocket failure, the probe missed the atmosphere of Mars, and, instead of landing, flew past along with the coast stage, with a closest approach of 1,300 km (810 mi).Known faults with the spacecraft's transistors were blamed for the failure, along with that of Mars 4