Slate Technology

Radio was originally a social medium, as early radio sets (each of which could transmit as... more

The first mechanical clocks were made to summon monks to prayer. Ever since, timekeeping t... more

At the dawn of the 20th century, chemists dreamed of extracting nitrogen from the air and ... more

The first ever computer program was written in 1843 by Ada Lovelace, a mathematician who h... more

In the 19th century, young people wooed each other over the telegraph. But meeting strange... more

Polar exploration was the Victorian equivalent of the space race. Major powers vied to out... more

The potato seemed strange and unappetizing when it first arrived in Europe. But it grew in... more

In the early 20th century a new forensic technique—fingerprinting—displaced a cruder form ... more

For thousands of years we sailed our cargo across oceans using zero-emission, 100 percent ... more

The 19th century invention of the phonograph left composers worried they might not be paid... more

What can 19th century polar exploration teach us as humans plan missions to Mars? Do moder... more

The Renaissance scholars couldn’t keep up with new information (“Have you read the latest ... more

Some people thought the laying of the transatlantic cable might bring world peace, because... more

In the Victorian era, plaster casts became a way to preserve important artifacts in 3-D. N... more

In 1714, British parliament offered a huge cash prize to anyone who could find a way to de... more

In 1969, an anthropologist introduced photographs and films to people in Papua New Guinea ... more

The French telegraph system was hacked in 1834 by a pair of thieves who stole financial ma... more

The first pedestrian killed by a car in the western hemisphere was on New York’s Upper Wes... more

It took a long time for the fork to go from weird curiosity to ubiquitous tool. How long w... more

We’ve used electricity to treat our brains for thousands of years, from placing electric f... more

In the 18th century, a device called the Mechanical Turk convinced Europeans that a robot ... more

Examine the history of tech to uncover stories that help us illuminate the present and pre... more