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The Technology of the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD) was advanced, providing some of the most prolific technological advancements in Chinese history, much of which came from talented statesmen drafted by the government through imperial examinations. The ingenuity of mechanical engineering had a long tradition in China. The Song Dynasty engineer Su Song admitted that he and his contemporaries were building upon the achievements of the ancients such as Zhang Heng, an astronomer, inventor, and early master of mechanical gears. The application of movable type printing advanced the already widespread use of woodblock printing to educate and amuse Confucian students and the masses. The application of new weapons employing the use of gunpowder enabled the Song Dynasty to ward off its militant enemies until its collapse to the Mongol forces of Kublai Khan, in the late 13th century. Notable advancements in civil engineering, nautics, and metallurgy were made in Song China, as well as the introduction of the windmill to China during the 13th century. These advancements, along with the introduction of paper-printed money, helped revolutionize and sustain the economy of the Song Dynasty. (more...)

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Kuomintang candidate Ma Ying-jeou (pictured) is elected President of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Two referenda on joining the United Nations fail due to low turnout.
French swimmer Alain Bernard sets a new world record for the men's 100 metres freestyle in 47.50 seconds.
A permanent coalition government agreement is reached in Belgium, ending a nine-month stalemate, as Yves Leterme is sworn in as Prime Minister.
David Paterson is sworn in as the first black Governor of New York (and the fourth ever in the U.S.) after Eliot Spitzer resigns amidst a prostitution scandal.
The wreckages of HMAS Sydney and the HSK Kormoran are located off the coast of Western Australia 66 years after their mutual destruction in battle.

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On 19 March, Sir Arthur C. Clarke died at the age of 90. (Read about his life...)

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March 24: Easter Monday in Western Christianity (2008); World Tuberculosis Day

1603 – King James VI of Scotland acceded to the throne of England and Ireland, unifying the crowns of the three kingdoms for the first time.
1882 – German physician Robert Koch (pictured) announced the discovery of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a bacterium that causes tuberculosis.
1976 – Dirty War: President Isabel Perón of Argentina was kidnapped and deposed in a bloodless coup d'état.
1989 – The tanker Exxon Valdez spilled more than 10 million gallons of oil into Prince William Sound, Alaska, causing one of the most devastating man-made environmental disasters at sea.
1999 – Kosovo War: NATO launched air strikes against Yugoslavia, marking the first time NATO has attacked a sovereign country.

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The Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) is an astronomical observatory under construction. Part of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) agency, it is located on top of Cerro Armazones in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. The project was proposed in 2011 with construction beginning in 2017. Completion and first light is anticipated to take place in 2028. The ELT's design consists of a reflecting telescope with a 39.3-metre-diameter (130-foot) segmented primary mirror and a 4.2 m (14 ft) diameter secondary mirror. When completed, it will be the world's largest optical telescope. This picture shows a schematic view of the ELT, released by the ESO in 2012.

Design credit: European Southern Observatory

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