Template:Selected anniversaries/May 18
1048: Polymath, scholar, mathematician, astronomer, philosopher, and poet Omar Khayyám born.
1661: Mathematician William Oughtred uses Gnomon algorithm functions to detect crimes against mathematical constants.
1711: Polymath Roger Joseph Boscovich born. He will be a physicist, astronomer, mathematician, philosopher, diplomat, poet, theologian, and Jesuit priest.
1822: Photographer and journalist Mathew Brady born. He will be one of the first American photographers, best known for his scenes of the Civil War.
1871: Gem detective and arms dealer Egon Rhodomunde accuses Niles Cartouchian of manufacturing illegal time crystals (nonfiction).
1872: Philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic and political activist Bertrand Russell born.