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We’ve come a long, long way in the past few centuries. Technology has
vastly and remarkably improved, with new innovations and inventions
being developed all the time. Sometimes we take for granted all of the
incredible products and technologies we have at our disposal. In many
cases, we can’t even remember life without the things we use everyday.
To help remind you of how far we’ve come, here are some of the biggest breakthroughs in technological history.
Electricity
First and foremost, this is the biggest and perhaps most important technological advancement the world has ever seen. Without the power of electricity, many of the following things on this list would not be possible.
Following extensive research and development from scientists such as
Michael Faraday, Thomas Edison and Joseph Swan, the power of electricity
was harnessed and the creation of the light bulb was conceived.
Soon, electricity would be the vital source of energy for a range of day-to-day appliances.
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| Image Source: Wikipedia |
Telephone
The invention of the first commercial telephone is widely credited to
Alexander Graham Bell, a Scottish scientist, inventor and engineer.
Following advancements in technology, it became a major household
feature and enabled people to keep in touch more easily than ever
before.
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| Wooden wall telephone with a hand-cranked magneto generator. Source: Wikipedia |
Of course, now the telephone has taken on an entirely different purpose…
Mobile phone
There was once a time when the phone was restricted to a couple of rooms
in the house. Now, they are basically attached to our hands at all
times. Not only did the mobile phone change how we communicate with
friends and relatives, it also introduced us to the world of text
messaging.
Of course, now we have a whole range of communication tools on our
smartphones which we can use to access the internet and even play games.
When the idea was first developed, it seemed businessman and rich
individuals would enjoy exclusive use of the technology. Now, it is an
essential feature of everyday life for a huge number of people across
the globe.
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| A Qualcomm QCP-2700 (left) c. 1998, and an iPhone 5 (right) from 2012. Source: Wikipedia |
Radio
The radio offered a new form of mass communication which continues to
help people access and understand local, national and global news. It
also provides an excellent form of entertainment for many households
from Radio stations like Radio 1.
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| The Regency TR-1 which used Texas Instruments’ NPN transistors was the world’s first commercially produced transistor radio. |
Television
Most of us can’t remember a time when we didn’t have the blinking box of
light flickering in the corner of our living rooms. Although the
advancement of television is attributed to many individuals, Scotsman
John Logie Baird is considered the father of the goggle-box.
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| Family watching television 1958. Image Source: Wikipedia |
Now, we have smart TVs, 3D TVs, digital and satellite channels, as well
as televisions with exceptionally high-levels of definition.
Smart televisions and LED TVs are now incredibly popular and are
expected to be even more prevalent in homes for years to come. If you’re
interested in the latest TVs using smart TV technology, click here to find out more.
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| Smart TV from LG. Image Source: Wikipedia |
Satellite TV
Who ever suspected that from the early dawn of television, we would have
such a gluttonous array of channels? No longer are we restricted to
standard terrestrial stations for our nightly entertainment. Today, we
can select from a range of programmes, films and sports to watch in the
comfort of our own homes.
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| Typical terrestrial satellite tv dish. Image Source: Wikipedia |
Computers
Computers offered a further advancement in how we communicate, work, play games and access information.
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| IBM 5150 as of 1981. Image Source: Wikipedia |
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| 2014 Apple iMac |
The computer is now a vital component of modern day life, especially when twinned with the following innovation…
The Internet
The internet is everywhere. We can access it in more and more places
everyday and it has truly shaped the modern world. It allows us to
communicate more effectively, find information faster and send masses of
information in ways we never thought possible.
Today, we can utilise the power of the internet on our phones, our televisions and our laptops.
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| This NeXT Computer was used by Tim Berners-Lee at CERN and became the world’s first Web server. Image Source: Wikipedia |
Games Consoles
Games console are another example of a device we can connect to the
internet. Over the years they have delivered us otherworldly thrills
that offer a range of experiences and unique challenges to conquer.
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| The Magnavox Odyssey was the first video game console, released in 1972. Image Source: Wikipedia |
Technology has come a long way since it was just two vertical shapes
knocking a square ball back and forth. Now, games are increasingly
exciting, realistic and fantastical.
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| 2014 Playstation 4 Console |
X-Rays
Allowing us to see the bones in a human body, as well as to check items
in a suitcase at the airport, the advancement in X-Ray technology is
truly remarkable. The medical profession demonstrates the most prominent
use of X-Rays, allowing doctors to make effective diagnoses of
injuries.
Gamma Knife
An advancement in technology that is sure to come to more prominence in the following years, the Gamma Knife is the next step in medical technology.
Allowing a surgeon to shrink a brain tumour without the need for an
incision, the Gamma Knife is truly a wonder and could soon be advanced
for further crucial operations.
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| Gamma Knife. Image Source: thornburygammaknife.co.uk |
Cars
Changing the way we travel forever, the car has made it less time
consuming to travel across the country and conduct daily activities. In
addition to getting passengers from A to B, cars are being tuned to
reach incredible speeds in prestigious sporting events.
Airplanes
Thanks to the creation of planes, even some of the world’s most remote
destinations can be accessed in just hours. Once a vital tool in
warfare, the plane is now used to transport passengers to far-off
destinations and incredible countries.
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| The US-produced B-2 Spirit is a strategic bomber. It has a flying wing configuration and is capable of intercontinental missions. Image Source: Wikipedia |
Satellite Navigation
How would we get anywhere without satellite navigation? Gone are the
days where arguments would be had over reading a map incorrectly. Today,
we simply enter a destination and the friendly sat-nav voice guides us
to where we need to be.
MP3 Player
Changing the way we listen and share music, the MP3 file allows us to
download albums and single tracks in seconds. The compact nature of the
format also allows us to take hundreds of albums on the move.
What does future tech hold for us? things like wearable technology,
hydrogen fuel cells as a cleaner way to create commercial electricity,
electric driverless cars, lasers that zap malaria-carrying
mosquitoes….sounds like objects out of a sci-fi movie but these are
all technologies that are currently been developed as we speak.
Interesting times ahead.
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