1. American Technology in the 1960s

2. First privately finance nuclear power plant opens at Dresden, Illinois

3. 2,000 electronic computers delivered to U.S. businesses, universities, labs, and others This number will more than double in next 4 years. Debate rages as to whether computers will erase or create jobs

4. Laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation is perfected in Malibu, California with use in metal cutting and delicate welding (including retinal operations)

5. Bulova Accutron tuning fork watch- vibrates 360 times per second! First electronic watch!

6. Echo I first communication satellite in the world!

7. Pentel – world ’ s first felt tip pen!

8. Thalidomide kept off the U.S. market by the FDA as the tranquilizer causes birth defects

9. Aluminum cans used commercially for the first time!

10. The Birth Control Pill introduced and sells at 55 cents each.

11. 1961 Tylenol introduced as alternative to aspirin

12. 1961 IBM selectric electric typewriter that is developed by International Business Machine (IBM)

13. 1961 Sprite introduced!

14. 1961 Coffe-Mate introduced

15. 1962 First successful measles vaccine

16. 1962 Diet-Rite Cola first sugar free soft drink with cyclamate.

17. 1963 U.S.S. Thresher nuclear powered submarine sinks in 8,400 feet of water 220 miles off Cape Cod killing all 129 men. Worst submarine accident ever.

18. 1963 Artificial heart used for the first time

19. 1963 Valium introduced

20. 1963 AT&T introduces touch tone phones with more capabilities than dial

21. 1963 Kodak introduces cameras that can be loaded with cartridges

22. 1964 U.S. gas prices are 30.3 cents a gallon up from 29 cents in 1954

23. 1965 Ralph Nader quits job at Department of Labor to work with consumer as his Unsafe at Any Speed cites 51,000 Americans killed each year by the automobile

24. 1965 Sony introduces Betamax- a small home videocorder

25. 1965 St. Louis Gateway Arch completed

26. 1965 Diet Pepsi created

27. 1965 Home delivered milk accounts for 25% of sales

28. 1966 Complete decipherment of genetic code is announced by MIT biochemist Khorana

29. 1967 Pampers disposable diaper marketed in Sacramento. This 6 cents pad revolutionizes baby diapering!

30. 1966 California legislature in reaction to smog sets limits on carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons that can be emitted from auto exhausts. New standards take effect in 1969

31. Vatican rescinds the rule forbidding U.S. Catholics to eat meat on Friday-fish sales drop briefly

32. 1967 Wisconsin permits sale of yellow margarine-the last state to repeal laws!

33. 1967 The first compact microwave for U.S. homes introduced!

34. 1968 U.S. has only 22,231 cases of measles down from 400,000 in 1962 as a result of Enders vaccine.

35. 1968 911 system instituted in New York

36. 1968 Jacuzzi Whirlpool ($700) introduced!

37. Coast Guard reports 714 major oil spills

38. 1969 July 21- Neil Armstrong sets foot on the moon!

39. 1969 Concorde supersonic jet makes its first flight

40. 1969 Ford Maverick and Chevrolet Camaro introduced to compete with VW

41. 1969 Sesame Street debuts

42. 1969 Pantyhose production 624 million up from 200 million in 1968- end of nylon hosiery

43. 1969 Offshore oil well blows off coast Santa Barbara-235,000 gallons of crude oil- leak continues for years.

44. 1969 FDA removes cyclamates from GRAS (generally recognized as safe) due to bladder cancer in rats. Mostly found in soft drinks.

45. 1969 Baby food producers remove MSG after tests show mice fed flavor enhancer suffer brain damage

46. 1964 Surgeon General reports links smoking to lung cancer U.S. cigarette consumption reaches 524 billion-more than 4300 smokes for every American over 18

47. 1964 Pop-Tarts and Lucky Charms introduced!