On February 7, the world celebrates the birthday of the fire extinguisher, the Day of the periodic table, the Day of the number e and the Day of the naked man. Also, significant events took place on this day that influenced the course of world history.
Birthday of the fire extinguisher
Every year on February 7, the birthday of the fire extinguisher is celebrated – a device that saves life and property from fire. Its history dates back to the 18th century, and it acquired its modern appearance in the 20th century.
The inventor of the first fire extinguisher is considered to be the English chemist Ambrose Godfrey, who in 1723 created a device consisting of a metal tank with a liquid and a powder charge for spraying. However, fire extinguishers gained real popularity in the 19th century thanks to the Briton George William Munby, who in 1818 developed a more effective version – a metal cylinder with potassium carbonate that was released under the pressure of compressed air. Over time, the design improved, different types of fire extinguishers appeared: powder, carbon dioxide, foam, as well as specialized for extinguishing electrical equipment or combustible metals.
Today, fire extinguishers are an integral part of safety in buildings, cars and factories. Their presence is mandatory in public places, and proper use can save lives in an emergency.
Interesting facts
The first patent for a modern fire extinguisher was received by British inventor Alan Cray in 1905.
In some countries around the world, a fire extinguisher inspection is a mandatory condition for obtaining a property insurance policy.
The largest fire extinguisher in the world was created in the USA – it is more than 7 meters high and stands in the city of Covington, Louisiana.
Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers are used not only to fight fire, but also in the film industry to create the effect of fog.
Day of the periodic table
This holiday is dedicated to one of the most important scientific achievements in chemistry. The periodic table of elements is a fundamental tool that helps us understand the structure of matter, predict the properties of elements, and even discover new chemical compounds.
This date is because it was on February 7, 1863 that the American chemist John Newlands published his version of the classification of chemical elements, which became one of the steps towards the creation of the modern periodic table. However, its main creator is considered to be Dmytro Mendeleev, who in 1869 presented the first complete version of the table, which was based on the periodic law.
Today, the periodic table contains 118 officially recognized elements and is constantly updated with the discovery of new ones. It is an indispensable tool not only in chemistry, but also in physics, biology, material science and other sciences.
Interesting facts
The first version of Mendeleev’s periodic table, published in 1869, contained only 63 elements because many chemical elements had not yet been discovered.
Dmytro Mendeleev predicted the existence and properties of several elements that were not yet known at that time. For example, he predicted germanium, gallium, and scandium, which were discovered later and matched his predictions.
Mendeleev’s table was created according to the principle of periodicity: the properties of elements repeat at certain intervals, when they are arranged in order of increasing atomic mass (later specified by atomic number). Mendeleev placed some elements against their atomic mass in order to preserve the logic of groups, which was later confirmed by the discovery of isotopes.
In 2016, the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) officially recognized four new elements – nichonium (Nh), muscovium (Mc), tennessine (Ts) and oganesone (Og), completing the seventh period of the table.
The periodic table is universal and is used around the world without change, although some countries have their own traditions regarding the names of the elements. – In addition to classical elements, researchers continue to experimentally create new superheavy elements in laboratory conditions, which expands the boundaries of modern science.
The heaviest naturally occurring element in the table is uranium (U), while the newest synthesized elements, such as oganesone (Og), exist only in laboratory conditions.
Number day e
Day of the number e (e-Day) is dedicated to one of the most important mathematical constants – Euler’s number. This number, which is approximately equal to 2.71828, is the basis of the natural logarithm and plays a key role in many fields of mathematics, physics, economics and other sciences.
The number e first appeared in research on compound interest growth and exponential growth, and was later studied in detail by the Swiss mathematician Leonard Euler. It is used in mathematical analysis, differential equations, statistics, probability theory, and even in quantum mechanics.
This day is a great opportunity for math enthusiasts and scientists to celebrate the contribution of the number e to world science, to consider its interesting properties and applications in real life.
Interesting facts
The number e is irrational, that is, its decimal representation has no end and does not repeat.
Leonard Euler first denoted this constant with the letter e in the 18th century, and this notation is still used today.
The number e is found in the famous Euler formula, which combines the most important mathematical constants e, π, i, 1 and 0.
In finance, the number e is used to calculate compound interest, which is important in banking and investing.
The day of work is naked
It’s an unusual holiday that celebrates the flexibility and autonomy that working from home affords. Despite the provocative name, the essence of this day is not necessarily to work without clothes. Rather, it symbolizes the opportunity to abandon traditional office restrictions and work as convenient. It is a day about comfort, individual rhythm and creating an ideal working environment without strict dress codes and rigid frameworks.
Remote work allows people to customize their schedule, manage their time more efficiently and avoid the stress of long commutes to the office. This day is a good opportunity to appreciate all the advantages of this format and remember how important it is to feel comfortable while performing work tasks.
Interesting facts
The holiday was started by American business coach Lizi Alfonso in 2010 as a way to encourage people to appreciate the benefits of working from home.
According to statistics, people who work remotely experience less stress and have higher productivity compared to office workers.
Many companies today adopt “casual Friday” – a day when employees can dress less formally, which is a distant analogue of this idea.
Although the holiday does not involve literal stripping, many people on social networks jokingly support it in this context.
Historical events on this day
457 – Leo I Makella became the emperor of the Byzantine Empire. His reign was marked by the stabilization of the empire and the strengthening of the influence of Constantinople.
1483 – The famous Ukrainian scientist Yuriy Drohobych published the book “Prognostic assessment of the current year 1483” in Rome, at the printing house of Ehuarius Zilber. This is the first known printed book of the Ukrainian author, which contained astrological forecasts and scientific reflections.
1497 – Followers of the Italian preacher Girolamo Savonarola organized a “fireplace of vanity” in Florence, burning thousands of secular books, works of art, and luxury items they considered sinful.
1807 – The Battle of Preiss-Eylau took place during the War of the Fourth Coalition. This is one of the bloodiest battles of the Napoleonic Wars, in which more than 40,000 people died.
1831 – The Polish Sejm officially approved the red and white flag as the national symbol of Poland.
1855 – The Treaty of Simoda was concluded – the first diplomatic agreement between Russia and Japan, which established the official border between the two states.
1889 – American inventor Herman Hollerith patented the first electric computing machine. His technology marked the beginning of the development of modern computing.
1906 – The SOS code was first proposed as an international maritime distress signal, replacing the earlier CQD signal.
1942 – In the city of Banja Luka, the Croatian Ustashi committed a mass murder, killing more than 2,300 Serbs, mostly women, children and the elderly.
1991 – The Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) carried out a mortar attack on the residence of the Prime Minister of Great Britain at 10 Downing Street. It was one of the most serious attacks in London during the period of the conflict in Northern Ireland.
1992 – 12 member states of the European Communities signed the Maastricht Treaty, which launched the European Union and defined the basic principles of a single European policy.
1992 – The Republic of Benin officially recognized the independence of Ukraine.
2009 – Wildfires in the state of Victoria in Australia have caused the worst natural disaster in the country’s history. As a result, 173 people died, thousands of people were left homeless.
2010 – The second round of presidential elections took place in Ukraine, in which Viktor Yanukovych won.
2016 – North Korea launched the Kwangmyeong-4 satellite, which violated numerous UN resolutions and caused international condemnation.
2018 – On the night of February 7-8, American troops struck the forces of the Russian private military company “Wagner” near Deir ez-Zour in Syria, destroying the advanced units.
