January 17: Children's Inventors Day, International Cable Car Day
Kyiv • UNN
On January 17, the world celebrates Children's Invention Day, recognizing the achievements of young inventors in history. This day is also known for the filing of the first patent for a cable car in the United States in 1871.
Today, January 17, many countries around the world celebrate Children's Inventors Day, UNN reports .
It was on January 17, 1706, that Benjamin Franklin, co-founder of the United States of America and one of the most famous inventors in human history, was born in Boston.
Franklin made his first invention when he was a teenager: when he was twelve years old, he invented flippers.
Fifteen-year-old Louis Braille invented a font for the visually impaired. Joseph-Arman Bombardier, when he was 15 years old, built the first snowmobile on the basis of an old Ford car.
The first trampoline was invented by a sixteen-year-old boy named John Nissen from Iowa in 1930. One day, he decided to stretch an army-type tarpaulin with rubber shock absorbers over an iron frame to just jump for fun.
On January 17, 1871, Abner Doubleday filed the world's first patent for a cable car in the United States. Therefore, January 17 is called the International Day of this type of transport.
Together with engineers Andrew Smith and William Appletschmeyer, Doubleday spent two years installing the world's first cable car in San Francisco, which began operating on September 1, 1873.
The first cable car system was based on early mining transportation systems
Cable cars are used in mountainous areas with large elevation differences.
The longest cable car in the world is located in Venezuela. It is called Teleférico de Merida, and its length exceeds 12 kilometers, which is an absolute indicator. In total, Teleférico de Merida includes four sections and leads to the top of Espejo, the highest point of which is located at an altitude of 4765 meters.
Also today, on the third Wednesday of January, you can join the Museum Selfie Day.
Its celebration was first proposed in 2014 by the employees of the European collective Culture Themes.
The event aims to encourage as many people as possible to get acquainted with history and art. On this day, you should visit any museum, choose the exhibit that left the most vivid impression, take a selfie with it, and post it on social media.
According to the church calendar, today is the Day of Remembrance of St. Anthony the Great, who is called the founder of the hermit clergy.
Anthony was born in Egypt into a wealthy Christian family. After the death of his parents, he gave away all his property to the needy and settled in a cave. Then he lived in the ruins of a fortress for 20 years. He founded a monastery.
Anton, Yegor, Georgy, and Antonina celebrate their name days on January 17.
