On this day, April 4th, 1828 ☕, Dutch chemist Casparus van Houten patented a revolutionary process that would change how humans consume chocolate forever. By pressing cocoa beans to extract the fat — cocoa butter — he created a fine, soluble powder that could be mixed easily into milk or water 🍫. Before van Houten, drinking chocolate was a thick, greasy, rich indulgence reserved for the wealthy. After him, it became the smooth, affordable delight enjoyed by millions worldwide. Every mug of hot chocolate, every cocoa-dusted dessert, every chocolate bar owes its silky texture to this one Dutch patent 🇳🇱.

Other interesting facts that happened on this day:

• 1983: Space Shuttle Challenger made its maiden voyage on mission STS-6
• 1923: Warner Bros. Pictures was formally incorporated by the four Warner brothers in Burbank, California
• 1870: Golden Gate Park in San Francisco was officially established by city order
• 1460: The University of Basel, one of the oldest universities in the world, was founded in Switzerland
• 1949: NATO was founded by 12 nations, creating the most powerful military alliance in history