The fax machine was invented by Alexander Bain...he first successfully demonstrated its use on January 16th 1843. So, the fax machine (or a facsimile thereof) made its debut 183 years ago.

Additional events:

1581 - English Parliament passes a law against Catholicism

1777 - Vermont declares independence from New York

1793 - The French National Convention sentences King Louis XVI to death

1909 - Antarctic explorers Mawson, David and Mackay reach the South Magnetic Pole

1917 - The Zimmermann Telegram is sent from Germany to Mexico promising Texas, Arizona and New Mexico be given to Mexico in exchange for joining the Axis with Germany if the US enters WWI on the Allied side.

1941 - US Vice Admiral Bellinger warns of a potential assault on Pearl Harbor

1966 - Chicago is granted an NBA franchise to be called the Bulls

1976 - Frampton Comes Alive is released

1980 - Paul McCartney arrested at Tokyo airport for possession of marijuana (jailed for 9 days before being deported)

1984 - Paul & Linda McCartney arrested in Barbados for possession of cannabis

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Posted by kywildcatfanone

Wildcat Country!

Member since Oct 2012

136780 posts

Posted on 1/15/26 at 6:43 pm to madmaxvol

quote:
The fax machine was invented by Alexander Bain...he first successfully demonstrated its use on January 16th 1843. So, the fax machine (or a facsimile thereof) made its debut 183 years ago.

That's amazing

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Posted by 3down10

Member since Sep 2014

39110 posts

Posted on 1/15/26 at 9:45 pm to madmaxvol

1980 - Paul McCartney arrested
1984 - Paul McCartney arrested

Good luck tomorrow Paul.

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Posted by paperwasp

2x HRV 2025 Poster of the Year

Member since Sep 2014

29094 posts

Posted on 1/16/26 at 1:44 pm to madmaxvol

quote:
the fax machine (or a facsimile thereof)

quote:
made its debut 183 years ago

The best way I ever heard this explained was: Imagine taking a piece of paper and laying a very thin string across it from one side to the other, then back across to the other side, and so forth until you have covered the entire page with a snaking pattern similar to radiator coil (or whatever pattern you choose).

Then write a message with a felt-tip pen onto the string as if it were the normal surface of the paper.

Pulling the string apart, you're then left with a specific pattern of dots that could be electronically transmitted across a wire.

When that string was received and wound using the same pattern, the original message would appear.

That's essentially the rudimentary concept, just replace the string with an optical scanner and a printer.

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