150 years ago: on 7th Feb 1873 that Thomas Andrews, Irish/British shipbuilder and businessman was born. The naval architect in charge of the plans for the RMS Titanic, he perished along with 1,500 others during her maiden voyage.
100 years ago: on 16th Feb 1923 that British archaeologist Howard Carter opened the sealed doorway to Tutankhamen’s tomb in Thebes, Egypt. The following day he entered the burial chamber and discovered a wealth of treasures.
70 years ago: on 28th Feb 1953 that British scientists Francis Crick and James D Watson announced that they had discovered the double-helix structure of DNA.
40 years ago: on 8th Feb 1983 that champion racehorse, Shergar, was kidnapped in Ireland and a £2million ransom demanded. The horse was never seen again.
20 years ago: on 1st Feb 2003 that the US space shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry, killing all seven astronauts.
10 years ago: on 1st Feb 2013 that the Shard, a 72-storey skyscraper in London, was officially opened. It is the tallest building in the UK and the sixth tallest in Europe.
All images in this post are in the Public Domain.