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Invention of the ballpoint pen

In 1938 a Hungarian journalist László Bíró invented the ballpoint pen

• 9 mins

Inventing Rubik’s Cube

In 1974, a Hungarian architect, Ernő Rubik invented his bestselling puzzle

• 9 mins

Aibo: The world’s first robot dog

The world's first robot dog called Aibo, sold out in just 20 minutes in 1999

• 9 mins

When disposable nappies were invented

The story of how disposable nappies were invented.

• 9 mins

Creating the first emoji

In 1999, Japanese designer Shigetaka Kurita created a global phenomena - the first emoji

• 9 mins

Tamoxifen: Breast cancer ‘wonder drug’

How the drug tamoxifen became a global success in breast cancer treatment

• 9 mins

The ‘Barricades’ of Latvia

More than 500,000 people barricaded the streets of Riga in January 1991

• 9 mins

Japan surrenders in China

The signing of the Japanese surrender documents at the Forbidden City in Beijing in 1945.

• 9 mins

The birth of Barbie

Ruth Handler created the Barbie doll which was first sold in 1959

• 9 mins

The US singer who became the Soviet Union’s Red Elvis

In 1966, American Dean Reed was the first western rock star to tour the Soviet Union

• 9 mins

Escaping the Nazis in Greece

Yeti Mitrani and her family escaped deportation from Greece by the Nazis in 1943

• 9 mins

Brain: The first personal computer virus

In 1986 a computer virus was developed accidentally by two brothers in Pakistan

• 9 mins

The Pope’s controversial Nicaragua visit

Pope John Paul II angered supporters of the Sandinista government during a 1983 trip

• 9 mins

The 1960 coup against Haile Selassie

There was an attempt to overthrow the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie in December 1960

• 9 mins

Mr Bigg's: The birth of Nigeria's iconic takeaway

It’s been 50 years since Mr Bigg's was first launched in Nigeria

• 9 mins

José Mujica: Prison break to president

Uruguay's former president recounts his revolutionary past as a member of the Tupamaros

• 9 mins

First dinosaur eggs identified in India

In 1982, Ashok Sahni discovered nests of dinosaur eggs for the first time in India

• 9 mins

Birth of a new language

In the early 1980s deaf children in Nicaragua invented a new sign language

• 9 mins

Treehouse on the Berlin Wall

In 1982 a Turkish worker in Germany built a treehouse against the Berlin Wall

• 9 mins

Dinosaur in court

In 2012 a dinosaur skeleton became the subject of a restraining order and a court case

• 9 mins

Brownie Wise: The creator of Tupperware parties

How Brownie Wise inspired an army of US housewives to sell Tupperware at parties

• 9 mins

The Great Train Robbery

In 1963, thieves held up a Royal Mail train on its journey from Glasgow to London

• 9 mins

Sarajevo’s haven of peace

The Jewish charity that helped people in the Bosnian war during the siege of Sarajevo

• 9 mins

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing's diamonds scandal

Journalist Claude Angeli broke the story that helped topple France's President in 1981

• 9 mins

Jean-Michel Basquiat bursts onto the New York art scene

The success of graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat

• 9 mins

The boy who discovered a new species of human ancestor

Matt Berger tripped over a hominid fossil whilst exploring with his dad in South Africa

• 9 mins

Iran: How the prime minister was overthrown in 1953

It's 70 years since the US-backed coup which brought the Shah of Iran to power in 1953

• 9 mins

Returning Benin Bronzes

In 2004, a chance encounter in Nigeria led to the return of two looted art treasures

• 9 mins

Judy Garland: The final shows

The last performances of Judy Garland in January 1969

• 9 mins

The Wizard of Oz: The stolen ruby slippers

Ruby slippers used in the film 'The Wizard of Oz' were stolen in 2005.

• 9 mins