August
28 August 1865:
Thomas D. Stetson files a patent for double glazed (insulated) windows with the United States Patent Office. Stetson’s patent described a design with two glass panes separated by a space filled with an insulating material, such as air or gas. His invention aimed to improve insulation, reduce condensation, and enhance soundproofing. Stetson’s patent marked an early milestone in the development of double glazed windows, the concept of multiple glazing layers for improved insulation had been explored earlier by other inventors as well. We update our understanding of window standard development during our periodic Fenestration colloquia.
24 August 1759:
William Wilberforce born. He was a British politician, philanthropist and leader of the movement to abolish the transatlantic slave trade.
The British Royal Navy engaged in the suppression of the transatlantic slave trade for several decades, beginning in the early 19th century. The suppression included capture of African warlords and other intermediaries who were profiting from the sale of their own people. The British government passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act in 1807, which made it illegal to engage in the transatlantic slave trade. This act was followed by additional legislation to strengthen anti-slavery efforts.
The Royal Navy’s West Africa Squadron, also known as the Preventative Squadron, was established to enforce these laws. The squadron patrolled the waters off the coast of West Africa, where many slave ships originated. Its mission was to intercept and capture slave ships, liberate enslaved Africans on board, and take legal action against those involved in the trade.
This effort continued for several decades, with varying degrees of intensity and success. It should be noted that this suppression of the transatlantic slave trade was part of a broader international movement to end the slave trade, with other countries also taking similar actions.
In 1833, the British government passed the Slavery Abolition Act, which led to the gradual abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire, culminating in the complete emancipation of enslaved individuals in 1838. While the suppression of the transatlantic slave trade continued beyond this date, it marked a significant milestone in the broader effort to end the institution of slavery itself.
15 August 1971:
President Richard Nixon announced a series of economic measures, including the suspension of the convertibility of the United States dollar into gold, effectively ending the gold standard for the U.S. dollar.
14 August 1945:
The famous “kiss” photograph, known as “V-J Day in Times Square,” was taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt on August 14, 1945. It was published in LIFE magazine’s September 3, 1945, issue. The photo captures a sailor spontaneously kissing a nurse in Times Square, New York City, celebrating the news of Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II.
5 August 1930:
Birthdate of Neil Armstrong, the first human to set foot on the moon.
1 August 1936:
At the International Congress of Mathematicians held in Oslo the first Fields Medal was awarded to three mathematicians: Lars Ahlfors from Finland, and Jesse Douglas and Hermann Weyl, both from the United States. Lars Ahlfors was recognized for his contributions to the theory of Riemann surfaces and his work on the uniformization theorem. Jesse Douglas was recognized for his work on the Plateau problem, which involves finding the minimal surface area that can be spanned by a given boundary curve. Hermann Weyl was recognized for his contributions to the theory of Lie groups and the theory of analytic functions.
