Imagine turning on your TV and witnessing an event that shakes the entire world. Moments when screens broadcast not fictional stories, but real disasters and achievements of mankind, remain forever in the memory of millions of people around the world. In this article, we will tell you about five shocking events that happened before the eyes of TV viewers. These moments changed history and showed how important television can be when it records the most dramatic and fateful events. Of course, you can watch videos of these historical events – we found them!
The Challenger Explosion in 1986. Image source: wikipedia.org
Contents
- 1 The Strongest Earthquake in Japan
- 2 The Challenger Explosion Live on TV
- 3 The Terrorist Attack of September 11, 2001
- 4 The Strongest Hurricane in the United States
- 5 Landing of people on the moon
- 6 Videos of historical moments
The strongest earthquake in Japan
On March 11, 2011, Japan faced one of the most destructive earthquakes in its history. This event changed the lives of thousands of people, and became a real test for the country.
The magnitude of the earthquake reached 9.1 points, making it one of the most powerful in recorded history. The epicenter was in the Pacific Ocean, 130 kilometers east of the city of Sendai, and the tremors caused a powerful tsunami.
The Aftermath of the 2011 Earthquake in Japan. Image Source: travelask.ru
Shocking images were shown on television as giant waves swept away everything in their path: houses, cars, and entire neighborhoods. One of the worst-hit areas was Sendai Airport, which was completely flooded just an hour after the earthquake began. The tsunami reached the Japanese coast in just 30 minutes, and its effects were felt throughout the Pacific region.
Despite an advanced emergency warning system, thousands of people were trapped by the elements. Almost 20,000 people died in the earthquake, and thousands are still missing. The devastation caused by this natural disaster will forever remain in the memory of not only the people of Japan, but also millions of people around the world who watched the disaster on their television screens.
The Challenger Explosion Live
The Challenger space shuttle disaster is one of the most tragic pages in the history of space exploration, which occurred on January 28, 1986. Just 73 seconds after the launch of the STS-51L mission, the shuttle's external fuel tanks ruptured, causing resulted in the death of all seven crew members. The event, watched live by all of America and the world, left a deep mark on people's hearts.
The Challenger Launch. Image source: wikimedia.org
The cause of the disaster was a damaged sealing ring on the right solid rocket booster. This caused a jet of flame that destroyed the fuel tank. However, the shuttle did not explode instantly, as many people think, but fell apart due to abnormal overloads. The debris fell into the Atlantic Ocean, and the crew cabin remained relatively intact, although there was no chance of rescue.
The Crew of the Exploding Challenger. Image Source: wikimedia.org
After the disaster, US President Ronald Reagan ordered a large-scale investigation. A special commission found that the tragedy was caused not only by technical problems, but also by serious errors in NASA management. The management knew about the defects of the boosters and the risk of launching the shuttle in low temperatures, but ignored the warnings of engineers. This incident became an important lesson for future space flights, and after it, changes were made to the safety of the shuttle program.
Terrorist attack of September 11, 2001
On September 11, 2001, the world was shocked by terrorist attacks that became the bloodiest in history. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four planes in the United States, which were carrying ordinary passengers.
Two of them flew at high speed into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York, which led to their collapse. The third plane attacked the Pentagon, and the fourth, thanks to the resistance of the passengers, crashed in a field in Pennsylvania, failing to reach its target.
Destruction of the Twin Towers in 2001. Image source: reddit.com
These horrific attacks killed 2,977 people, including passengers on the planes and those in the buildings. Most of the victims were ordinary Americans. The attacks had far-reaching consequences, including U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and heightened security measures around the world.
Myth or Myth: Do Many People Really Abandon Flights Before Plane Crash
The Strongest Hurricane in the U.S.
Hurricane Katrina, which struck the southern coast of the United States in August 2005, was one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of the country. It was so powerful that today it is known as one of the most powerful hurricanes on record.
The main blow fell on the port city of New Orleans, which was 80% underwater. More than 700,000 people lost their homes, and economic damage exceeded $125 billion.
The aftermath of the most destructive hurricane in the US. Image source: wikimedia.org
The hurricane's effects were particularly severe on the poorest sections of the population, who had difficulty evacuating the city. The natural disaster not only caused destruction, but also a surge in crime, which worsened an already difficult situation.
Hurricane Katrina was not only a natural but also a social disaster, revealing many problems such as poverty, inequality, and infrastructure degradation that had long been ignored in American society.
Landing humans on the moon
One of the most impressive events in human history was the landing of people on the Moon. The majestic moment when American astronauts set foot on the surface of our planet's natural satellite for the first time in history was shown on television.
It happened on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the lunar module on the lunar Sea of Tranquility. The broadcast of this event was watched by millions of people around the world.
The American flag on the moon. Image source: nasa.gov
Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon, famously saying that it was one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. The astronauts spent more than two hours on the lunar surface, planted the US flag, and collected samples of lunar soil, which were then returned to Earth.
Read also: Why humans have not been able to return to the moon since the Apollo mission
Videos of historical moments
You can watch videos of humans landing on the moon, the most powerful earthquake in the history of Japan, and other historical events on our Telegram channel. There you will also find additional posts that will never be published on the site!
If you liked this material, read our article “World attractions from an unexpected angle: you have never seen them like this before”. You will definitely like it!