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All videos > Today in Tech History: May 6, 2008 Video

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Today in Tech History: May 6, 2008 Video

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Created: 05/02/2008

Video description: The Eiffel Tower rises, and the Hindenburg collapses.

Today in Tech History: May 6, 2008 Video Transcript

Hi, I'm Molly Wood from CNET TV. It's May 6, 2008, and here's what happened today in tech history. In great feats of structural engineering, the Eiffel Tower was opened to the public on this date in 1889. It was, at the time, the tallest tower in the world, and its shape was carefully determined by mathematical calculations designed to reduce wind resistance. Also on this date, in 1937, a tragedy of engineering -- the Hindenberg disaster: The German zeppelin caught fire at Lakehurst, New Jersey, and was completely destroyed within a minute. Thirty-six people died, and the catastrophe marked the end of large dirigibles used for passenger transportation. Finally, this is the birth-date of Loyd Sigmon, born in 1909. He was a ham radio broadcaster who invented a radio and tape recorder used by the Los Angeles Police Department to issue "Sigmon traffic alerts," or what are now known in many states as "Sig Alerts." That's it for today, coming at you tomorrow with more tech history. See you then.

Today in Tech History: May 6, 2008

The Eiffel Tower rises, and the Hindenburg collapses.