International Day of Light May 16, 2024

International Day of Light

Today is the International Day of Light! Held on May 16, the day marks the anniversary of invention of the laser by the American physicist and engineer Theodore Maiman in 1960. This pioneering creation epitomises how innovation can revolutionise society, impacting fields from communications to healthcare. The scope of the celebration extends beyond lasers, embracing light"s presence in every aspect of human existence, from art and culture to science and technology.

© Feng Li/Getty Images News

palette

Today in History

Serene waters on a trembling earth
Owl be seeing you ... somewhere!
May 16, 2025Endangered Species Day
May 16, 2026Smith Rock State Park, Oregon, United States

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Nov. 29, 2025Red deer stag in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands
Dec. 18, 2025Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, United States
Aug. 8, 2025The Three Musketeers Falls at Iguazú Falls, Argentina
Let there be lights!
Sep. 20, 2024Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina, USA
Apr. 21, 2024Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
Apr. 23, 2024World Book Day
A beach of many colours
May 25, 2025Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
Nov. 8, 2025Bandon Beach in Bandon, Oregon, United States
Jun. 28, 2024Stonewall uprising anniversary
Apr. 19, 2024Ring of Brodgar, Orkney, Scotland
Jan. 5, 2025Plum-headed parakeet
Jan. 8, 2024Bernina Pass, Graubünden, Switzerland
Nov. 6, 2023Lago Pehoé, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Connecting the dots
‘Night shining’ clouds
Jan. 29, 2026Milwaukee City Hall, Wisconsin, United States
The oldest way to fly
Oct. 6, 2025Anshun Bridge, Chengdu, China
Saving and celebrating honey bees
Where is this majestic museum?
Apr. 26, 2024Val di Funes, Italy
Mar. 7, 2026The Brocken, Harz National Park, Germany
Mar. 26, 2024Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
Apr. 16, 2024Union Square, Manhattan, New York, USA
Add wind, combine with water, and you’ll get...
Aug. 5, 2024Lavender field, Hertfordshire, England
Nov. 9, 2024Aït Benhaddou, Morocco
Kings of the north