On this date in 1872 Yellowstone became the first national park in the world. American author Wallace Stegner wrote: "National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic."

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On this date in 1953, Francis Crick and James Watson discovered the structure of DNA after stealing the work of biophysicist Rosalind Franklin who had X-ray photographed the DNA molecule.

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It's the birthday of the writer who said, "Truth disappears with the telling of it": Lawrence Durrell (1911). He is author of “The Alexandria Quartet” four books covering the same events from different points of view.

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The Grand Canyon was called by Teddy Roosevelt, “the one great sight which every American should see.” On this day in 1919 it was designated a National Park.

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Today is the birthday of Anthony Burgess (1917). A writer of a great many things, he once said: “To some of us, the wresting of beauty out of language is the only thing in the world that matters.”

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“One breath taken completely; one poem, fully written, fully read — in such a moment, anything can happen.” –Jane Hirshfield, born in New York City on this day, 1953.

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It was on this day in 1954 that the first inoculation of 137 children for polio began with the vaccine was developed by Jonas Salk. "Our greatest responsibility is to be good ancestors."

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Edna St. Vincent Millay was born this day in 1892. Her poem, “What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why” is featured in honor of her birthday.

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Today is the birthday of W.H. Auden (1907). “A poet is, before anything else, a person who is passionately in love with language.”

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It’s the birthday of Richard Matheson (1926), writer of science fiction, fantasy, and horror novels and television. His work influenced and inspired writers such as Anne Rice and Stephen King.

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