National Recording Registry in 2003 announced its first 50 selections of sound recordings to be preserved. The National Recording Preservation Board, a part of the Library of Congress, chooses 25 recordings each year. One of the recordings is the 1929 “Light’s Golden Jubilee,” celebrating Edison’s light bulb invention. Children can find the names of all the artists and works at: http://www.loc.gov/rr/record/nrpb/registry/. They can even listen to the works.
Flag of European Union
Treaty of Accession was signed in Athens, Greece, in 2003. Ten more nations joined the European Union: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, and Slovakia. Today 27 countries are members of the European Union. Children could learn more at: European Union.
Hayabusa
Hayabusa was launched in 2003. The unmanned Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) was launched from a Japanese space center on to collect samples of Near-Earth Asteroid 25143 Itokawa. It landed on the asteroid on November 19, 2005. It collected samples of the asteroid and successfully brought those samples back. The samples reveal that the asteroid is more like a meteorite than an earth rock. Hayabusa returned to earth on June 13, 2010. Children can learn more at: Hayabusa.
Taipei 101
Photo by Peellden
Taipei 101 was topped with a pinnacle in 2003. It thus became the tallest building in the world until the Burj Khalifa in Dubai was completed in 2010. Taipei 101 has 101 floors above ground and five stories below ground. It has been built to withstand earthquakes and typhoons.