From single rails to virtual reality, roller coasters have been thrilling people for centuries. Their origins can be traced back to 17th-century Russia, where wooden slides—"Russian Mountains"—provided seasonal entertainment. The first roller coaster was built in early 19th-century Paris, France. Called "Les Montagnes Russes à Belleville," it featured wheeled carts securely attached to tracks. By the 1900s, coasters were looping the loop for the first time.
International Roller Coaster Day
Today in History
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Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico
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Lizard of mystery
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Tassili n’Ajjer, Sahara, Algeria
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Endangered Species Day
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Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve in Layton, Utah
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Devetashka Cave, Devetaki, Bulgaria
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Bonsai Rock, Lake Tahoe, Nevada
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International Day for Monuments and Sites
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Cecropia leaf and lobster claw petals in Mexico
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Point Reyes National Seashore, California
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Atop the Needle of Chamonix
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Canada Day
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American bison
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Okavango Delta, Botswana
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Happy Mother’s Day
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Four Sisters, thousands of trees
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Tulips, Netherlands
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National Frog Month
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Happy Cinco de Mayo!
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Winter in the Wild West
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30 years after Exxon Valdez
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World Penguin Day
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Cumberland Island National Seashore
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Whoopin it up!
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Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
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‘Ocian in view! O! The joy.’
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National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
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A giant relic in Java
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By the light of the fireflies
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Lick Observatory
Bing Wallpaper Gallery

