In medieval Europe, around 1500 AD, the overuse of wood for burning began to lead to general shortages due to deforestation. Around this period Europeans started to shift to burning coal instead of wood, the first time in human history that an alternative fuel was adopted because of shortages of conventional fuel.
The oldest astronaut is John Glenn Jr. (USA), who was 77 years 103 days old when he was launched into space as part of the crew of Discovery STS-95 on 29 October 1998. The mission lasted 11 days, landing on 7 November 1998. Senator Glenn was one of the first US astronauts to fly with the Mercury orbiter space programme. In February 1962 he completed a five hour, three-orbit flight aboard Friendship 7
The world’s oldest surviving banknote (banco-sedlar) is a five daler note issued in Stockholm, Sweden on 6 December 1662. Banknotes were first reportedly issued in Sweden from July 1661.
The Gordon Bennett Cup is the world’s oldest and most prestigious gas balloon race, the first one taking place on 30 September 1906 in Paris, France. It was suspended for World Wars 1 & 2 and only recommenced after WW2 in 1979. The aim of the race was to fly the furthest distance from the launch site. Originally sponsored by James Gordon Bennett Jr, a millionaire sportsman and owner of the New York Herald, it was resurrected in 1979 by the American, Tom Heinsheimer and
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Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (UK, 4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002), who married the future King George VI on 26 April 1923 and was Queen Consort from 10 December 1936 to 6 February 1952, lived to the age of 101 years 238 days.
The oldest recorded bride is Minnie Munro (Australia), aged 102, who married Dudley Reid, 83, at Point Clare, New South Wales, Australia on 31 May 1991.
The oldest comic book writer is Captain America creator Joe Simon (USA, b. 11 October 1913) who continues to work as comic book writer, artist, editor, and publisher as of January 2010. Joe Simon also writes under the pseudonyms Gregory Sykes, and Jon Henery.
The worlds oldest surviving working clock is the faceless clock dating from 1386, or possibly earlier, at Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire, UK. It was restored in 1956, having struck the hours for 498 years and ticked more than 500 million times.
The oldest surviving Christian church in the world is a converted house in Qal’at es Salihiye (formerly Dura Europos) in eastern Syria, dating from AD232. In the 1930s, Yale archaeologists dismantled it and rebuilt it back in the United States.
The oldest monarch currently reigning is Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, the King of Saudi Arabia, who was born in August 1924 and became the oldest in the world on the 11 May 2007 aged 82 years 253 days, following the death of the previous holder, Malietoa Tanumafili II of Samoa. King Abdullah succeeded to the throne on 1 August 2005, following the death of his half-brother King Fahd.