1 of 12

Wright Brothers Flight, 1903The first flight. The discovery of Machu Picchu. The release of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Revisit these events—and other defining moments of the last 150 years—with images from 100 Days in Photographs, a new book from National Geographic and Getty Images. Above: It speaks volumes for the rapid rise of photography that a camera was present at Kitty Hawk on the historic day in 1903 when Orville and Wilbur Wright's Flyer I first took to the sky. The honor of pressing the shutter button actually went to John T. Daniels, who'd come from the nearby Coast Guard station to observe the endeavors of what he termed "a pair of poor nuts." The famous first flight, seen here, spanned 120 feet (37 meters) and lasted 12 seconds. Learn more and buy the book: 100 Days in Photographs: Pivotal Events That Changed The World.

Photograph by John T. Daniels