From breakthroughs in science to defining moments in Australian exploration, May 11 has delivered plenty of memorable moments through history.

1813: A route across the Blue Mountains is found

One of the most significant moments in early Australian colonial history occurred on this day in 1813, when explorers Gregory Blaxland, William Lawson and William Charles Wentworth successfully discovered a route across the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. Their expedition opened inland New South Wales to European settlement and grazing, dramatically changing the future of the colony.

1981: Bob Marley dies aged 36

Reggae legend Bob Marley died in Miami on May 11, 1981, after a battle with cancer. Songs including No Woman, No Cry, One Love and Redemption Song helped make Marley one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, while also bringing reggae music to a global audience.

1997: Deep Blue defeats Garry Kasparov

In a landmark moment for artificial intelligence, IBM’s chess computer Deep Blue defeated world champion Garry Kasparov in a six-game match on this day in 1997. It marked the first time a reigning world chess champion had lost a match to a computer under tournament conditions.

Also born on this day

Salvador Dalí (1904)
Richard Feynman (1918)
Irving Berlin (1888)