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Philadelphia committee
A committee led by Benjamin Franklin that attempted to regulate waste disposal and water pollution -
Walden
A story written and published by Henry David Thoreau -
Ecology
The term ecology is coined in German as Oekologie by Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel -
Acid rain
The term acid rain is coined by Robert Angus Smith in the book Air and Rain -
Smog
The term smog is coined by Henry Antoine Des Voeux in a London meeting to express concern over air pollution -
National Park Service
US Congress created the National Park Service -
Sputnik
Moscow launches first space satellite called Sputnik 1 into orbit around the Earth later sending back the first message from space. -
First pictures of far side of Moon
The Luna 3 captured the first pictures of the far side of the Moon that were then transmitted back to Earth -
First human to orbit Earth
Yuri Gagarin was the first human to successfully complete a full orbit around the Earth in 108 minutes while traveling at a speed of 17,000 miles an hour. -
Silent Spring
Rachel Carson publishes Silent Spring -
First woman in space
Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova went on a three day mission and orbited Earth 48 times. Her flight was broadcasted on television for citizens of Europe and the Soviet Union to watch. -
First spacecraft to soft-land on Moon
Luna 9 was the first spacecraft to accomplish a soft lunar landing on the Moon and transmit data photographically from the Moon's surface to Earth -
Apollo 8
Apollo 8 was a mission that conducted many tests significant to the lunar landing done the following year. The crew took photos of both the far and near side of the lunar surface as well as the Earth. -
Earthrise
The Apollo 8 picture of Earthrise -
First humans to orbit the Moon
Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, and William Anders were the first men to orbit the Moon making 10 total orbits and testing procedures that were to be used in future missions. -
First human to walk on the Moon
Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the Moon. He and Buzz Aldrin walked around for three hours picking up all sorts of rocks and bits of dirt as well as doing experiments. -
First Earth Day
Millions of people gather in the United States for the first Earth Day. US Environmental Protection Agency established. -
Montreal Protocol
Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer entered into force -
Launch of Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope was named after astronomer Edwin Hubble. This telescope has transformed astronomy since its launch as it has a very clear view of the universe. Scientists use it to look at and observe distant stars and galaxies -
The Kyoto Protocol
The Kyoto Protocol was negotiated in Kyoto, Japan in December. Countries commit to reducing their emissions of carbon dioxide. -
No to Kyoto Protocol
The U.S. rejects the Kyoto Protocol -
Mars rover landing
The rover is still operating on Mars and has sent detailed photographs of the red planet which likely had an environment that could have supported life a long time ago. -
cease Paris Agreement
U.S. announces it will cease participation in the Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation -
Rejoin Paris Agreement
U.S. announces it will rejoin the Paris Agreement on climate change mitigation