A decade in review

The 1950s

18 moments we logged from 1950–1959.

1950195119521953195419551956195719581959

People born in the 1950s Rajinikanth, Kamal, Mammootty…

Notable figures who grew up in this decade.

  • culture1950

    Rajinikanth

    Tamil cinema's superstar, a phenomenon.

    Wiki
  • culture1954

    Kamal Haasan

    Tamil cinema icon, actor and director.

    Wiki
  • culture1951

    Mammootty

    Malayalam cinema icon.

    Wiki
  • tech1957

    Mukesh Ambani

    Reliance chairman, India's richest.

    Wiki
  • tech1955

    Indra Nooyi

    Former PepsiCo CEO.

    Wiki
  • world1952

    Vladimir Putin

    President of Russia.

    Wiki
  • tech1955

    Steve Jobs

    Apple co-founder.

    Wiki
  • tech1955

    Tim Berners-Lee

    Inventor of the World Wide Web.

    Wiki

Worldwide

  • 1950tech

    First credit card introduced

    Diners Club issued the first multi-purpose credit card, changing how the world pays.

  • 1951tech

    First commercial computer (UNIVAC)

    UNIVAC I became the first commercially sold computer in the US. The computer industry was born.

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  • 1952science

    Hydrogen bomb tested

    The US tested the first hydrogen bomb on Enewetak Atoll. Nuclear weapons grew 1000x more powerful.

  • 1953science

    DNA structure discovered

    Watson and Crick described the double helix, cracking the code of life itself.

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  • 1953science

    REM sleep discovered

    Aserinsky and Kleitman discovered REM sleep. Suddenly we understood when dreams happen.

  • 1954science

    First polio vaccine

    Jonas Salk's polio vaccine was successfully tested. Polio's reign of terror began to end.

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  • 1955culture

    Disneyland opens

    Walt Disney's theme park opened in Anaheim, California. The 'happiest place on earth' welcomed its first visitors.

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  • 1955world

    Civil Rights Movement begins

    Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

  • 1956science

    Neutrino detected

    Cowan and Reines detected the elusive neutrino, a particle Wolfgang Pauli proposed 26 years earlier.

  • 1957science

    Sputnik launched

    The Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, kicking off the Space Race.

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  • 1958science

    NASA founded

    The US created NASA to compete in the Space Race. The agency would change everything.

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  • 1959tech

    Integrated circuit invented

    Jack Kilby and Robert Noyce independently invented the integrated circuit. Modern electronics began.

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  • 1959science

    First photos of Moon's far side

    Soviet probe Luna 3 sent back the first photos of the Moon's far side. We finally saw the dark side.

India

  • 1950world

    India becomes a Republic

    On January 26, India adopted its Constitution. Republic Day was born.

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  • 1951sports

    First Asian Games hosted

    India hosted the first Asian Games in New Delhi, marking its post-independence sporting debut.

  • 1953world

    Everest summited

    Tenzing Norgay (Nepal-born, India-raised) and Edmund Hillary became the first to reach Everest's summit.

  • 1955culture

    Pather Panchali released

    Satyajit Ray's debut film put Indian cinema on the world map. Critics worldwide called it a masterpiece.

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  • 1959world

    Dalai Lama flees to India

    The 14th Dalai Lama escaped Tibet and was granted asylum in India. Dharamshala became Little Lhasa.