Tetraethyl lead was first given a laboratory test as an anti-knock additive to gasoline fuel. The knock in the one-cylinder laboratory engine was utterly silenced. Even at a strength of only 2-3g grams per gallon (1000 to 1 dilution), it had a remarkable ability to quiet the relentless knocking. This invention of Thomas Midgley, Jr., of the General Motors Research Laboratories, located in Dayton, Ohio, was first put on public sale as ethyl gasoline in the same city on 2 Feb 1923. This invention of leaded gasoline came after seven years of testing at least 33,000 compounds. Previously, on hard acceleration, an engine sometimes made knocking, popping or crackling sounds, which sapped power and could damage the engine.

The Norwegian Metrological Institute has received hundreds of calls from confused observers, but so far has been unable to identify the origin of the skylights that have been seen. Some experts have speculated that the phenomenon might have been caused by a Russian rocket launch, although the Russian embassy has insisted such claims are completely unfounded. Neither meteorologists, astronomers, or the armed forces have offered a solution to the matter. The light was captured by amateur photographer while he was on his way to work at a salmon factory. 'The light appeared for two or three minutes. I could not believe my eyes, and got the shivers and was quite shaken by it,' he said. Another observor, who saw the light phenomena from Sortland in northern Norway, added: 'A large ring appeared, and then spread out, sending a green beam down to earth.'