1941 – Konrad Zuse presents the Z3, the world's first working programmable, fully automatic computer, in Berlin.

1551 – National University of San Marcos, the oldest university in the Americas, is founded in Lima, Peru.

On this day in history, May 12, 1965, Rolling Stones record 'Satisfaction' after Keith Richards dreamed a riff

 Red_Dragon wrote:

All conditioned phenomena
Are like a dream, an illusion, a bubble, a shadow,
Like dew or a flash of lightning;

Thus we shall perceive them.

1997 – Deep Blue, a chess-playing supercomputer, defeats Garry Kasparov in the last game of the rematch, becoming the first computer to beat a world-champion chess player in a classic match format.

868 – A copy of the Diamond Sūtra is published,<2> making it the earliest dated and printed book known.

On this day in history, May 11, 1888, Irving Berlin, composer of 'God Bless America,' is born

1933 – In Germany, the Nazis stage massive public book burnings.

On this day in history, May 10, 1977, iconic American actress Joan Crawford dies in New York City

On this day in history, May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issues proclamation creating Mother's Day

On this day in history, May 8, 1945, President Truman announces 'flags of freedom fly all over Europe'

1980 – The World Health Organization confirms the eradication of smallpox.

1970 – The Beatles release their 12th and final studio album Let It Be.

1886 – Pharmacist John Pemberton first sells a carbonated beverage named "Coca-Cola" as a patent medicine.

2000 – Vladimir Putin is inaugurated as president of Russia.

1952 – The concept of the integrated circuit, the basis for all modern computers, is first published by Geoffrey Dummer.

1895 – In Saint Petersburg, Russian scientist Alexander Stepanovich Popov demonstrates to the Russian Physical and Chemical Society his invention, the Popov lightning detector—a primitive radio receiver. In some parts of the former Soviet Union the anniversary of this day is celebrated as Radio Day.

1824 – World premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in Vienna, Austria. The performance is conducted by Michael Umlauf under the composer's supervision.

On this day in history, May 7, 1977, the song 'Hotel California' by the Eagles hits No. 1

On this day in history, May 6, 1957, the last episode of hit sitcom 'I Love Lucy' airs