September 9: historical facts and curiosities

On September 9, 1947, computer pioneer Grace Hopper's team discovered a moth trapped in a relay of the Harvard Mark II computer. They taped the insect into the logbook with the note 'First actual case of bug being found.' This incident popularized the term 'debugging' for fixing computer glitches. It's a fun reminder of how literal the origins of our tech vocabulary can be.

Today is a great day to plan ahead and organize your upcoming commitments.

On this day in 1776, the Second Continental Congress officially adopted the name "United States of America," replacing "United Colonies." This pivotal change solidified the identity of the newly independent states, moving them from a collection of colonies to a unified nation. The resolution marked a significant step in the formation of the United States, just months after the Declaration of Independence, reflecting a growing sense of national identity and purpose during the American Revolutionary War.