On this day in history - February 18

What Happened On This Day – February 18

• 1978 Hawaii hosts the first Ironman Triathlon

  Contestants have to swim 2.4 miles (3.86 km), bike 112 miles (180.25 km) and complete a marathon run measuring 26.2 miles (42.2 km).

• 1977 The Space Shuttle takes off on its maiden flight

  The “Enterprise” was mounted on a Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft; the first free flight took place on August 12, 1977

• 1954 The first Church of Scientology is established

  Despite many controversies, Scientology has gained thousands of members since its inception.

• 1943 The Gestapo arrests German resistance fighter Sophie Scholl and other White Rose activists

  21-year-old student Scholl and her fellow campaigners were executed for having distributed flyers criticizing the Nazi regime.

• 1930 Pluto is discovered

  Clyde W. Tombaugh discovered the dwarf planet when sifting through photographs taken a month earlier.