Evolutionary milestones

On April 5, 1859, naturalist Charles Darwin sends his publishers the first three chapters of “Origin of Species,” which will become one of the most influential books ever published. By 1872, six editions had been published.

•On April 3, 1860, the first Pony Express mail simultaneously leaves St. Joseph, Mo., heading west, and Sacramento, Calif., heading east, on an 1,800-mile journey. On April 13, the westbound packet arrived in Sacramento, beating the eastbound packet by two days.

•On April 6, 1896, the Olympic Games are reborn in Athens, 1,500 years after being banned by Roman Emperor Theodosius I. At the opening of the Athens Games, King Georgios I of Greece and a crowd of 60,000 spectators welcomed athletes from 13 nations to the international competition.

•On April 8, 1910, the Los Angeles Motordome opens near Playa Del Rey, Calif. The wooden track was paved with two-by-fours and steeply banked at angles as high as 45 degrees, allowing car-racing daredevils to reach speeds up to 100 mph with both hands off the steering wheel.

•On April 4, 1939, comedian Jack Benny pleads guilty to buying more than $2,000 worth of smuggled gems. Benny was fined $10,000 and given a suspended sentence of a year and a day in jail.