Today is Wednesday, July 18, the 200th day of 2012. There are 166 days left in the year.

64 ― Great Fire of Rome begins (Nero didn't fiddle)

1536 ― Pope's authority declared void in England

1872 ― Britain introduces secret ballot voting

1936 ― Spanish Civil War begins, Gen. Francisco Franco led uprising

1940 ― First successful helicopter flight, Stratford, Conn.

1955 ― First electric power generated from atomic energy sold commercially

1966 ― Carl Sagan turns 1 billion seconds old

1978 ― Billy Martin suspends Reggie Jackson for not bunting

1980 ― Rohini 1, first Indian satellite, launches into orbit

1986 ― Videotapes released showing Titanic's sunken remains