TECHNOLOGY MILESTONES FROM THE CHEMIST’S VIEW Innovations in chemistry, engineering, and electronics from the end of the nineteenth century to today allow us to keep in contact from anywhere in the world. Our lifestyle has changed radically over the last century, from rural to urban life, from education for the elite to education for the masses, from agriculture to research work. The subsequent flow of people, information, new ideas, and materials has brought significant social change. Numerous results from chemistry have contributed to the development of the many communication tools that we need in order to capture, store, and distribute information. Wireless communications and fiber optics provide the foundations of our internet society. Silicon chemistry and high-performance polymers make today’s computer microprocessors possible. Movies, television, and photography all rely on chemistry to help preserve our memories. The scientific achievements of chemists allow remote family members to keep in touch with each other from anywhere on the globe. II. 1. Communications Advances The development of the telephone Wireless communications Facsimile technology and xerography Laser and fiber optics II. 2. Computer Technology Evolution of computers Semiconductor technology Silicon chips and integrated circuits Monitor and display technologies Information storage Communication satellites II. 3. Entertainment Developments Movies Television Photography II. 4. Innovations in Electronics Evolution of consumer electronics Advanced synthetic materials Transistors II. INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

A. Graham Bell The showbill of the first feature-length movie, The Jazz Singer, with synchronized singing and dialogue Philo T. Farnsworth and the cathode ray tube ENIAC The first transistor The first integrated circuit Silicon chip Telstar Kodak-Instamatic The Intel’s bit processor Installation fiber optics in Chicago downtown Chronology 1876 Alexander Graham Bell completes the first telephone call The Warner brothers make the first movie with synchronized music and audio effects The first two-way voice conversation is transmitted across the Atlantic Ocean Philo T. Farnsworth broadcasts first television image using a cathode ray tube ENIAC, the first electronic digital computer, is put into operation. The Hungarian-born John von Neumann took part in the modification of the mathematical-logical details of ENIAC The transistor is invented at Bell Telephone Laboratories Reynold Johnson develops the first disk drive Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments invents the integrated circuit (IC) Silicon chips first appear Telstar, the world’s first active communications satellite, is sent into orbit The firm Eastman Kodak introduces the popular Instamatic camera with film cartridge Intel company introduces its popular bit microprocessor for consumer use Town Chicago tests the first commercial fiber-optic communications system Cellular phones become popular after the automatic switching of wireless communications through a series of cells was discovered CD-ROM (compact-disc-read-only memory) is introduced along with its companion compact disc (CD) player.