This laser projected from the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, in London, England, marks the prime meridian, dividing Earth’s Eastern and Western Hemispheres and helping travelers to chart their courses by establishing a universally adopted 0 degrees longitude. The meridian itself is essentially an imaginary line, arbitrarily placed. By the early 19th century, most maritime countries had established their own prime meridians to aid in navigation. But on this date in 1884, delegates from 25 nations met at a conference in Washington, DC, where they established Greenwich as the international standard for mapping and timekeeping. The decision made sense, as the Greenwich meridian was already widely used. But there was one holdout: France abstained from the vote and used its own prime meridian for several decades before eventually joining other countries in recognizing the Greenwich meridian.
‘Hello’ from zero degrees longitude
Today in History
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Lake Misurina, Dolomites, Italy
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Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Achray, Scotland
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Hollywood s big night
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It’s not a pinecone, it’s a pangolin
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Super sandy Sweet 16
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Father s Day
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World Meteorological Day
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Windmills in Kinderdijk, the Netherlands
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The parenting of a piping plover
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Gespensterwald, Nienhagen, Germany
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Step into the dark
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A day to take a moment
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Everglades National Park, Florida
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Groundhog Day
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Once upon a time there was a bridge…
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Wooden path to Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island, Canada
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World Numbat Day
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Happy trees = Clean air
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Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand
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World Meteorological Day
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National Fossil Day
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Feeling lazy? Today s your day.
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Storks ready for takeoff
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Fall comes to Pando
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World Dolphin Day
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Presidents hear the echo of history
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Red skies at Ruby Beach
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A Flag Day tradition
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Dreaming of the Tyrrhenian Sea
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Let the games (finally) begin!