Template:Selected anniversaries/December 24

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  1473: Priest, philosopher, physicist, and theologian John Cantius dies. He helped develop Jean Buridan's theory of impetus, anticipating the work of Galileo and Newton.

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  1761: Astronomer Jean-Louis Pons born. He will become the greatest visual comet discoverer of all time: between 1801 and 1827, Pons will discover thirty-seven comets, more than any other person in history.

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  1818: Physicist and brewer James Prescott Joule born. He will study the nature of heat, and discover its relationship to mechanical work.

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  1822: Mathematician Charles Hermite born. He will do research on number theory, quadratic forms, invariant theory, orthogonal polynomials, elliptic functions, and algebra.

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  1881: Physician, physiologist, and crime-fighter Emil du Bois-Reymond uses experimental electrophysiology techniques to demonstrate a physiological basis for the energy exerted by Gnomon algorithm functions.

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  1882: Mathematician Johann Benedict Listing dies. He introduced the term "topology" in a famous article published in 1847, having already used the term in correspondence some years earlier.

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  1905: Businessman, investor, aviator, film director, and philanthropist Howard Hughes born. He will be known during his lifetime as one of the most financially successful individuals in the world.

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  1906: Inventor Reginald Fessenden transmits the first radio broadcast; consisting of a poetry reading, a violin solo, and a speech.

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  1917: Politician Ivan Goremykin dies. He is remembered for his Extreme Moustaches.

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  1962: Mathematician Wilhelm Ackermann dies. He discovered the Ackermann function, an important example in the theory of computation.

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  1967: Performance artist and crime-fighter Brion Gysin invents hand-held scrying engine, sends Christmas Eve greetings to Hamangia figurines.