A Ponderosa Pine, given to the museum in 1980 to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the U.S. Forest Service, is seen in front of the National Arboretum’s entrance. Photo by Flickr user Grufnik.
1. On This Day: August 6
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was signed into law by President Johnson exactly 50 years ago. President Johnson also signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 the year previous. Why do these landmark laws still matter to us today? And what can we do to honor them?
2. The 70th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombings
On Aug. 6, 1945 at 8:16 a.m., Tokyo time, a US B-29 bomber dropped the world’s first atom bomb on Hiroshima. On that day alone, at least 70,000 people were killed. Three days later, in Nagasaki, at least 40,000 people are believed to have been killed by a different type of atom bomb. Learn more about the invention of atom bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Timeline to disaster on Al Jazeera.
3. Centuries-old Bonsai Tree That Survived Atomic Bomb Is Honored 70 Years Later
At 404 years old, the Japanese white pine is already notable as the oldest specimen in the bonsai collection at Washington, D.C.’s National Arboretum. Not only has the tree lived through four centuries, it also survived the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Read more at PBS NewsHour.
4. In Guatemala, 1,600-year-old Mayan Artifacts Discovered
At Mayan ruins in Guatemala, archaeologists have unearthed monuments and hieroglyphic panels in near-perfect condition. Watch the story on CNN.
5. A Cold Violin Case Solved, After 35 Years
An Ames Stradivarius violin that disappeared without a trace after it was stolen in 1980 from the violin virtuoso Roman Totenberg has been found. The 282-year-old violin is being restored to Totenberg’s family. Read more at The New York Times.
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