January 5: historical facts and curiosities

On January 5, 2005, astronomers at Palomar Observatory in California discovered Eris, a dwarf planet located in the scattered disc beyond Neptune. Initially thought to be larger than Pluto, Eris's discovery played a significant role in the International Astronomical Union's reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006. Eris is the second-largest known dwarf planet in our Solar System.

On January 5, 1914, Henry Ford made a groundbreaking announcement: the Ford Motor Company would drastically raise its minimum daily wage to $5 and reduce the workday to eight hours. This revolutionary move, implementing three shifts, aimed to boost productivity and worker loyalty. It profoundly influenced industrial labor practices worldwide, contributing to the growth of the middle class and setting new standards for employee compensation and working conditions.