On April 26, 1962, the US made history in space exploration when NASA’s Ranger-4 became the first American spacecraft to reach the surface of the moon. However, due to technical malfunction, the spacecraft lost contact with Earth and could not send pictures of the moon. NASA scientist Dr. James Arnold said, “This mission may not have been completely successful, but it proved our ability to reach the moon.” This achievement paved the way for the Apollo missions, which landed humans on the moon in 1969. Today, when the discussion of CISK playoffs is in full swing, this historic moment reminds us of the progress of science.

On this day in 1986, a massive nuclear accident occurred in Chernobyl, Ukraine, which alerted the world to the radioactive danger. This accident left a long-term impact on the environment and human health. Experts believe that Chernobyl intensified the global debate on the use of nuclear energy. Apart from this, other important events also took place on 26 April, such as Mahatma Gandhi starting his law practice in South Africa in 1903 and the death of mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan in 1920, who enriched the world with mathematical discoveries.

In 2024, Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a missile attack on a ship in the Red Sea, raising questions about global maritime security. At the same time, in 2020, the cases of Kovid-19 in India crossed 26 thousand. Amidst the excitement of the CISCE playoffs, the history of 26 April tells us the story of science, courage and challenges. This day reminds us that there is a need to learn from both humanity’s progress and its mistakes.