π Omar Khayyam, poet and mathematician (1048)
Where: Nishapur, Iran
π On This Day: May 18
May 18, 1048: Omar Khayyam, poet and mathematician. Persian poet, mathematician and astronomer Omar Khayyam was born on this day in 1048 in Nishapur, in today's Iran. He helped make a very accurate calendar and solved hard equations using geometry. His short poems, the Rubaiyat, have been translated into many languages.
β¨ More events on this day
- 1953 π§ Pilot Jacqueline Cochran flew faster than the speed of sound, becoming the first woman ever to break the sound barrier.
- 1969 π Apollo 10 launched as a full dress rehearsal for landing on the Moon; its lunar module was nicknamed Snoopy and the command module Charlie Brown. Kennedy Space Center β
- 2005 π Pictures from the Hubble Space Telescope confirmed that Pluto has two more small moons, which were later named Nix and Hydra.
π§ Question of the day
What is Omar Khayyam's poetry collection called?
- The Arabian Nights
- The Iliad
- The Rubaiyat
Show the answer
Answer: The Rubaiyat
π Landmarks that opened on May 18
Questions
What happened on May 18?
May 18, 1048: Omar Khayyam, poet and mathematician. It happened in Nishapur, Iran.
Which landmarks opened on May 18?
Texas State Capitol (dedicated 1888).
In the game, the "Today on Earth" panel shows this story on its day, with a question to answer and a place to fly to.