Because inventions often don't have specific dates.

This month's date tie-in might be considered a cop-out. After all, three years ago, I tied the formal announcement, in 1953, of the chemical structure of DNA to the specific date of the publication in Nature by James D. Watson and Francis Crick of their discovery. But even back then I noted that:

Watson had already stated publicly, two months earlier, that he and Crick had "discovered the secret of life" (in a pub, no less)

so who's to say just when the proper date was. This is my opportunity to cast a bit of doubt. The event alluded to as "two months earlier" - apparently a bit of bragging, perhaps after a couple of beers - took place on this date, and it, like its more illustrious counterpart, has now received its moment here.

Go to: Inventing wheels in cyberspace.