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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug. 19, 2025Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Feb. 13, 2025Lake Tyrrell, Victoria, Australia
May 17, 2024Endangered Species Day
A modern recreation
Apr. 18, 2024International Day for Monuments and Sites
Dec. 30, 2024Mount Field National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Let the Great Backyard Bird Count begin!
Jul. 17, 2024Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
Sep. 30, 2023Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Her legend and mystery endure
Peek-a-boo, I see you!
Mar. 17, 2024St. Patricks Day
The sea that acts like a lake
Heavenly hot springs
Sep. 16, 2025Nighttime view over the Gulf Coast
Dec. 2, 2023Angkor, Cambodia
Incan ingenuity
Look, but don’t touch
Jan. 3, 2025Happy Birthday, J.R.R. Tolkien!
Oct. 4, 2025Nuit Blanche Toronto
Aug. 30, 2024International Whale Shark Day
Feb. 17, 2024Sassnitz lighthouse, Rügen, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
We’ve made it to Halfway Day!
Nov. 13, 2023Serra de Tramuntana, Balearic Islands, Majorca, Spain
Jan. 10, 2024Mylopotamos, Thessaly, Greece
Zebras enjoying their day
When landscape met wilderness
The Riviera of India
Jul. 28, 2024Colourful bathing huts on the beach in Skåne County, Sweden
Feb. 12, 2025Celebrating Charles Darwin