Today is Saturday, October 2, the 275th day of 2010. There are 90 days left in the year.
1187 ― Sultan Saladin captures Jerusalem from the Crusaders
1608 ― Prototype of modern reflecting telescope completed by Jan Lippershey
1836 ― Darwin returns to England aboard HMS Beagle
1870 ― Italy annexes Rome and Papal States; Rome made Italian capital
1936 ― First alcohol power plant established, Atchison, Kan.
1942 ― ``Queen Mary" slices cruiser ``Curacao" in half, killing 338
1942 ― First self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction demonstrated, Chicago
1984 ― three cosmonauts return after a record 237 days in orbit
1984 ― Richard Miller, becomes first (former) FBI agent, charged with espionage
1990 ― Radio Berlin International's final transmission (links to Deutsche Welles of West Germany); final song is ``The End" by the Doors