February 15

On February 15, 1946, ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was formally dedicated in Philadelphia. Developed by John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert, ENIAC contained over 17,000 vacuum tubes. Weighing nearly 30 tons and consuming large amounts of power, it performed calculations at unprecedented speeds. Originally designed to compute artillery firing tables, ENIAC paved the way for modern programmable computers. Its successful dedication marked a monumental leap in technology for scientific research and military applications.

On February 15, 1949, archaeologists Gerald Lankester Harding and Roland de Vaux began systematic digs at Qumran Cave 1. Later that year, they uncovered seven ancient manuscripts, now known as part of the Dead Sea Scrolls. These texts, dating from the third century BCE to the first century CE, include biblical and sectarian writings. The discovery revolutionized understanding of Second Temple Judaism and the textual history of the Hebrew Bible. Subsequent excavations in nearby caves revealed hundreds more scrolls, making Qumran one of the most significant archaeological sites.

Amid rising Cold War tensions, Canada and the United States reached an accord on February 15, 1954, to establish the Distant Early Warning (DEW) Line. This extensive network comprised dozens of radar stations stretching across the far northern Arctic of Canada and Alaska to provide advanced detection of incoming Soviet long-range bombers. Engineers and military crews faced extreme Arctic conditions to build and maintain the sites, enduring bitter cold and isolation. The project represented a major milestone in continental defense and laid the groundwork for the creation of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). Operational challenges included supply flights, communication links, and constant maintenance under severe weather. Today, the legacy of the DEW Line highlights a pivotal era of Cold War surveillance and technological innovation.

On February 15, 1996, a Long March 3B rocket carrying the Intelsat 708 communications satellite failed shortly after launch at the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The vehicle veered off its flight path and plunged into a nearby rural village, destroying homes and causing widespread devastation. Official reports cited six confirmed deaths, but some estimates suggest the toll may have reached 100 victims. The accident became one of the deadliest in the history of space launch operations. It raised international concerns about the safety protocols of China’s burgeoning space program and the risks faced by local communities.

On February 15, 2001, the journal Nature released the first draft sequence of the entire human genome, a landmark achievement of the Human Genome Project. The publicly funded consortium mapped approximately 90 percent of the genome’s euchromatic regions, providing an unprecedented blueprint of human DNA. The simultaneous publication in Science of a separate draft by Celera Genomics highlighted a race between public and private research efforts. This breakthrough opened the door to advances in molecular medicine, genetic testing, and personalized therapies. The draft sequence laid the foundation for understanding genetic diseases and spurred a revolution in biotechnology research.