8 Introduction The rapid pace of technological change in the 20th century makes it difficult to put these recent developments in historical perspective New materials ranging from syn thetic rubber to plastics and artificial fabrics affected ways of life and fashion With the introduction of the electric streetcar in 1888 cities extended beyond the distance that could easily be covered by a horse Following the establishment of the assembly line by Henry Ford in 1913 the automobile became inexpen sive enough for many to afford one and changed the landscape in industrialized nations The aircraft industry grew within decades after the first powered flight by the Wright brothers in 1903 The age of electronics was ushered in when Marconi sent the first transatlantic radio message in 1901 Radio and later television changed communications and entertainment habits Although early computing machines existed by World War II it took the invention of the transistor in 1948 to make modern computers and office machines a reality Nuclear power was introduced after World War II and the space age began with the first Soviet spacecraft in 1957 Many of these developments depended on the advances in science that were required before their adaptation by engineers
9 As technology advances it allows further exploration of space NASA’s Curiosity rover explored Mars from 2012 and took this selfie in 2014
Technology of the Modern World Medical technology which started with better sanitary practices in the 19th century was expanded by the use of new medicines and new equipment These developments nearly doubled the life span of a person living in an industrialized country compared to 100 years earlier New technologies in biology led to genetic engineering in which living cells can be altered In weaponry there was the invention of the tank the perfection of the airplane and finally the use of the atomic bomb These changed warfare from what had been primar ily an encounter between military personnel to putting all peoples of the world at risk Technology keeps advancing at a rapid rate It can only be guessed what will follow the information revolution that began in the late 20th century Communications took a major step forward with the development of the Internet in the 1970s Powerful microchips led to smaller and more affordable computers The invention of the World Wide Web in 1989 and its introduc tion to the world at large in 1991 represented a major shift in how information was exchanged For the next quarter century communica tions continued to evolve Faster smaller and more powerful computer processors led to the 10
INTRODUCTION introduction of portable devices such as smart phones and wearable technology Wireless networks made these advances possible Rising fossil fuel prices and concerns about global warming in the first decade of the 21st century led to an increased interest in develop ing renewable fuel sources Steps were taken to modernize power grids and increase fuel effi ciency Solar and wind energy became more significant contributors to the power supply as companies invested in improving existing technology Electric cars and hybrid vehicles became a reality after years of development Human ingenuity continues to drive new innovations and the development of even more advanced technology as people strive to find new ways to solve problems or make life eas ier First be sure a thing is wanted or needed then go ahead the great inventor Thomas Edison once advised Technology of the Modern World offers a brief but insightful glance at some of the most remarkable advances of the last century 11
