- 1667 – The first human blood transfusion is administered by Dr. Jean-Baptiste Denys.
- 1752 – Benjamin Franklin proves that lightning is electricity (traditional date, the exact date is unknown).
- 1844 – Charles Goodyear receives a patent for vulcanization, a process to strengthen rubber.
If you’re looking for a book about Benjamin Franklin to read this weekend, check out Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson (the same author who wrote the recently popular biography of Steve Jobs).