5 Technology Innovations That Changed the Course of History
Technology continues to grow exponentially in our world. It seems like every day you can find a new gadget or device that makes our life easier. While each new invention is a step forward, not all are created equal. Some have drastically changed the world with their inception to the point of altering the way our future unfolded. We have come up with a list of 5 technology innovations that changed the course of history.
- The Printing Press
While it may not seem very high tech today, this technology is one of the most important to be invented. In 1440, Johannes Gutenberg drew from an already existing paper and block press and improved upon it, with a new mould that let lead alloy type pieces be quickly produced. This meant there was an assembly line of books being copied by a single press that could put out up to 3,600 pages daily. This technology is so important to our history because it fueled the Age of Enlightenment, and allowed for new ideas to be shared, and even cause controversy and revolutions. Information could now spread worldwide, and it made it affordable for those who were not wealthy to buy books. The knowledge that was shared gave humans a chance to create their own inventions for centuries after.
- Transistors
Manufactured first in 1947 by Bell Laboratories, the often overlooked transistor allowed for meticulous control over the movement of current throughout a circuit board. It is the active part of the vast majority of all electronic systems. They were originally used in radios, but are now a critical part of the circuitry in computers, cell phones and TVs. Since the amount of transistors in integrated circuits increases every two years by twice the amount, they will undoubtedly continue to impact our technology of the future.
- Cellular Phones
Once this technology caught on, it changed the way we live our day to day life. Try finding a pay phone now. No longer do we depend on being home to get an important call, and we can get help in an emergency at any time. As the technology attached to these devices grows, our lives have become easier. We can bank, video chat, connect across the globe, search for jobs, do banking and so much more, all from our cell phone.
- Personal Computers
Although mechanical computing devices existed in the 1880s, the first electronic computers were created in the 20th century. By 1977 Personal Computers hit the market due to the reduced cost of microchip technology. We now had a machine that could calculate the most complicated mathematical equations instantly. Business could be done without manually keeping track of data, and we could now easily store information, organize our work and make tasks simpler with one instruction.
- The Internet
With the invention of the Internet, we have become dependent on search engines like Google to answer any question we have on a whim. The network of computers that spans the entire globe gives us access to information anywhere at any time. This technology has changed how business is done, how we communicate with one another, how we view entertainment, campaign politically and so much more. It is likely that in the future this technology will continue to grow and influence how other technologies are invented, much like the printing press did before it.
