<span class="SFPTagline"> From SCIFIPEDIA </span>

Dr. Cyclops opens in U.S. theaters (1940). Dr. Cyclops is a adventure film directed by Ernest B. Schoedsack. Four explorers visit Peru at the behest of physicist Dr. Thorkel. They discover a rich source of radium and a mad scientist who shrinks them to a fraction of their normal size when they try to put an end to his experiments.

---

Space Shuttle Columbia launches (1981). The NASA space shuttle Columbia lifts off from the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, on its maiden voyage into space. It is the first manned spacecraft designed for repeated use. Astronauts John W. Young and Robert L. Crippen take Columbia on a two-day mission to test the new space vehicle's capabilities, opening up a program that eventually includes more than 75 missions. This first flight ends as scheduled with a landing April 14, 1981, at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

---

Nicholas Brendon is born (1971). Nicholas Brendon is best known for his role as Xander Harris on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Other genre contributions include Unholy (2007), Fire Serpent (2007), and Demon Island (2002). Brendon was born in Los Angeles, California.

---

Get more info on today's date at SCIFIpedia's Timeline.