In History, Today on July 23

William Austin Burt patents the typographer, a precursor to the typewriter.

Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States, dies.

Fox Film buys the patents of the Movietone sound system for recording sound onto film.

Telstar relays the first publicly transmitted, live trans-Atlantic television program.

The 12th Street Riot begins in Detroit, Michigan, leading to 43 deaths and over 1,000 injuries.

International Whaling Commission decides to end commercial whaling by 1985-86.

Comet Hale-Bopp is discovered independently by Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp.

Three coordinated bomb attacks occurred in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El Sheikh, killing 88 people and injuring over 200. The attacks were the deadliest in Egypt's history at the time and were attributed to a group linked to al-Qaeda.

The world mourned the death of British singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, who passed away at the age of 27 from alcohol poisoning. Winehouse was known for her deep, expressive contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues, and jazz.

Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space, passed away at the age of 61. Ride made history in 1983 when she flew aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. She was a physicist and a strong advocate for science education.

NASA's Kepler mission announced the discovery of Kepler-452b, an exoplanet considered to be the most Earth-like planet found in the habitable zone of a star similar to the Sun.

A series of wildfires broke out in the Attica region of Greece, resulting in the deaths of 102 people and injuring more than 200. The fires were among the deadliest in Greece's history and led to widespread criticism of the government's response.

The 2020 Summer Olympics officially opened in Tokyo, Japan, after being postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was held with strict health protocols and without spectators in most venues.