1. In 1955, Governor Abraham Ribicoff signed a law that officially changed the name of the Connecticut State College to the University of Connecticut, in recognition of its growing size and importance as a university.

2. On July 31, 1996, two young men from Connecticut, Jared Leto and Shannon Leto, formed the band Thirty Seconds to Mars. The band has since become a popular alternative rock band and has won numerous awards for their music.

3. The Spacecraft Assembly Facility at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland was officially named after Connecticut native Robert H. Goddard, a pioneer in rocketry and space exploration, on July 31, 1980.

4. In 1869, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station was established in New Haven by the state legislature. It was the first agricultural experiment station in the U.S. and has since become a leading authority on agriculture, food safety, and environmental research.

5. On July 31, 1987, actor and Connecticut resident George Takei, best known for his role as Mr. Sulu on the original Star Trek television series, appeared as a guest on Late Night with David Letterman. During the interview, he discussed his recent return to acting after a long hiatus and his upcoming projects.