17th July in history

Paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey discovered the partial skull of a new species of early human ancestor, Zinjanthropus boisei or ‘Zinj’ (now called Paranthropus boisei), on this day in 1959 from Africa almost 2 million years ago.

Did you know that:

• Matthew Flinders published “A Voyage to Terra Australis”, detailing his circumnavigation of Australia, on this day in 1814 – first to name the continent Australia
• Granville Woods received a patent for the “tunnel construction for electric railways” on this day in 1888
• Construction of Disneyland commenced on this day in 1954
• Disneyland televised its grand opening in Anaheim, California on this day in 1955

// Compiled by Zoya Siddiqui