The first mass inoculation against polio is conducted
Jonas Salk conducted the first mass inoculation against polio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The inoculation, which used Salk’s newly developed inactivated polio vaccine (IPV), was given to 1,800 children. The results of the trial were astounding, with none of the children developing polio.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) begins operating
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was established in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization was created to establish and promote international standards for products, services, and systems. Over the years, the ISO has created standards for everything from screws and nuts to safety symbols and computer programming languages. The organization now has members from over 160 countries, and its standards are used all over the world.

Glenn T. Seaborg and his team chemically identify Plutonium
A team led by Glenn T. Seaborg at the University of California, Berkeley successfully isolated the first sample of plutonium, an artificial element. The work was part of the Manhattan Project, a top-secret initiative to develop the first atomic bomb. Plutonium was chosen as the element to use in the bomb because it could be easily produced and separated from uranium.

The Gutenberg Bible is published
Johannes Gutenberg’s Bible edition was the first book ever printed in movable type, heralding the age of the printed book in the West.