07 May, 1895 – Alexander Popov demonstrates the world's first radio receiver

The Russian physicist had initially built the device as a lightning detector. He achieved the first radio transmission between two buildings the following year.

08 May, 1927 – The White Bird and its crew mysteriously disappear

French aviators, Charles Nungesser and François Coli, had taken off from Paris in their Levasseur PL.8 biplane in an attempt to make the first non-stop transatlantic flight.

09 May, 2012 – The brand-new Sukhoi Superjet 100 plane crashes

The regional jet was the first airliner produced in Russia since the end of the USSR in 1991. The flight was a demonstration tour carrying potential customers. All 45 people on board perished in the crash.

10 May, 1869 – In the US, the first coast to coast railroad is completed

The Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroad systems were joined at Promontory Summit in Utah, using a “Golden Spike”. This last spike is now housed in the Cantor Arts Museum at Stanford University.

11 May, 1981 – The musical Cats is premiered

The piece sparked a musical craze around the world and catapulted the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber to stardom.

12 May, 1941 – The world's first programmable, fully automatic computer is presented

The Z3 was designed by German inventor, Konrad Zuse. The original machine was destroyed in an air raid. A replica can be seen at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.

13 May, 1909 – The Giro d'Italia cycle race is held for the first time

The Giro is considered one of the world's most important cycle races. Luigi Ganna won the first edition, which went from Milan to Naples and back.