1980 Computing & Technology Events — Verified Historical Highlights
1980 Computing & Technology Events — Verified Historical Highlights | TakeMeBack.to
- 08 Jan John Mauchly, computer pioneer, dies at 72: John Mauchly, an American physicist and computer scientist, co-designed ENIAC, the first general-purpose electronic digital computer, and UNIVAC I, the first commercial computer in the U.S. He passed away on January 8, 1980, in Ambler, Pennsylvania, during heart surgery following a long illness. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 13 Feb Apollo Computer Inc. incorporated in Chelmsford, Massachusetts: On February 13, 1980, Apollo Computer Inc. was incorporated in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, by William Poduska and others. The company developed and produced Apollo/Domain workstations in the 1980s, becoming one of the first vendors of graphical workstations alongside Symbolics and Sun Microsystems. In 1989, Apollo was acquired by Hewlett-Packard for $476 million. source: computerhistory.org
- 03 Apr U.S. conducts nuclear test at Nevada Test Site on April 3, 1980: On April 3, 1980, the United States conducted a nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site as part of Operation Tinderbox, a series of 14 nuclear tests conducted between 1979 and 1980. The specific details of the test conducted on this date are not specified in the available sources. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 16 Apr U.S. conducts nuclear test at Nevada Test Site: On April 16, 1980, the United States conducted a nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site. This test was part of the Operation Tinderbox series, which included 15 underground nuclear tests conducted between 1979 and 1980. The specific details of the test conducted on this date, such as its code name and yield, are not specified in the available sources. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 02 May US conducts nuclear test at Nevada Test Site on May 2, 1980: On May 2, 1980, the United States conducted an underground nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site. This test was part of the Operation Tinderbox series, which included 14 nuclear tests conducted between 1979 and 1980. The specific details of the test conducted on this date, such as its yield and exact location, are not specified in the available sources. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 19 May Apple III announced at National Computer Conference: On May 19, 1980, Apple introduced the Apple III at the National Computer Conference in Anaheim, California. This business-oriented personal computer featured a 2 MHz Synertek 6502A processor, 128K of RAM, and a built-in 5.25-inch floppy disk drive. Despite its innovative features, the Apple III faced significant reliability issues, leading to a recall of 14,000 units and a redesign before its reintroduction in November 1981. source: edn.com
- 18 Jun Shakuntala Devi's remarkable mental calculation: On June 18, 1980, Shakuntala Devi, known as the 'Human Computer,' demonstrated her exceptional mental arithmetic skills by multiplying two 13-digit numbers—7,686,369,774,870 and 2,465,099,745,779—in just 28 seconds at Imperial College London. This feat earned her a place in the 1982 Guinness Book of World Records. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 27 Jun Walter Dornberger, V-2 Rocket Engineer, Dies at 84: Walter Dornberger, the German general who supervised Wernher von Braun's development of the V-2 rocket bomb during World War II, died on June 27, 1980, in Baden-Württemberg, West Germany. After the war, Dornberger worked for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, and later became a vice president at Bell Aerosystems Co. source: washingtonpost.com
- 17 Jul Boris Delaunay, Soviet mathematician, dies at 90: Boris Delaunay, a prominent Soviet mathematician known for his work in modern algebra and the geometry of numbers, passed away on July 17, 1980, in Moscow at the age of 90. He was also an accomplished mountain climber and the father of physicist Nikolai Borisovich Delone. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 10 Aug Annular solar eclipse on August 10, 1980: An annular solar eclipse occurred on August 10, 1980, with a magnitude of 0.9727. The path of annularity was visible in Tabuaeran of Kiribati, Peru, Bolivia, northern Paraguay, and Brazil. A partial eclipse was observed in parts of eastern Oceania, Hawaii, the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. source: en.wikipedia.org
- 28 Aug First full-body MRI scan performed at University of Aberdeen: On August 28, 1980, a team led by Professor John Mallard at the University of Aberdeen conducted the first full-body MRI scan on a patient. This groundbreaking procedure provided detailed images of internal tissues, marking a significant advancement in medical imaging. source: abdn.ac.uk
- 05 Sep Gotthard Road Tunnel opens in Switzerland: The Gotthard Road Tunnel, connecting Göschenen in Uri and Airolo in Ticino, opened on September 5, 1980. At 16.9 kilometers, it was the world's longest road tunnel at the time, providing a year-round route through the Swiss Alps. source: britannica.com
- 28 Sep Carl Sagan's 'Cosmos: A Personal Voyage' premieres on PBS: On September 28, 1980, the first episode of 'Cosmos: A Personal Voyage,' hosted by Carl Sagan, aired on PBS. This 13-part documentary series explored various scientific topics, including the origin of life and humanity's place in the universe, and became one of the most-watched programs in the history of public television. source: pbssocal.org
- 30 Sep Publication of the Ethernet specification by Xerox: On September 30, 1980, Xerox published the Ethernet specification, which outlined the standards for local area network (LAN) technology. This document laid the groundwork for the development of Ethernet as a dominant networking technology, enabling devices to communicate over a shared medium. The specification has undergone various updates, but the original document was crucial in establishing networking protocols. source: britannica.com
- 10 Oct Very Large Array radio telescope network dedicated: The Very Large Array (VLA), a radio telescope system located on the plains of San Agustin near Socorro, New Mexico, was formally dedicated on October 10, 1980. The VLA consists of 27 parabolic dishes, each 25 meters in diameter, arranged in a Y-shaped configuration. It operates as an interferometer, combining data from each dish to achieve high-resolution imaging of radio sources in the universe. source: public.nrao.edu
- 06 Nov Microsoft signs contract with IBM to create MS-DOS: On November 6, 1980, Microsoft signed a contract with IBM to develop an operating system for IBM's new personal computer. Microsoft purchased 86-DOS from Seattle Computer Products, adapted it for IBM's hardware, and licensed it as PC-DOS. This agreement marked a pivotal moment in the personal computer era, establishing Microsoft as a leading software provider. source: computinghistory.org.uk
- 20 Nov First solar-powered flight of the Solar Challenger: On November 20, 1980, the Solar Challenger, a solar-powered aircraft designed by Paul MacCready's AeroVironment, conducted its first flight at El Mirage Field in Southern California's Mojave Desert. This marked a significant milestone in solar aviation, demonstrating the feasibility of sustained, manned flight using only solar energy. The Solar Challenger was equipped with 16,128 solar cells and was capable of long-distance flights without onboard energy systems. source: donaldmonroe.com
- 03 Dec Kaidun meteorite falls in Yemen: On December 3, 1980, a fireball was observed traveling from northwest to southeast over a Soviet military base near Al-Khuraybah in Yemen's Hadhramaut Governorate. A single stone weighing approximately 2 kilograms was recovered from a small impact pit. The meteorite, known as Kaidun, is a carbonaceous chondrite containing a uniquely wide variety of minerals, leading to debates about its origin. Some suggest it may have originated from the Martian moon Phobos, but this is disputed. source: lpi.usra.edu
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