Sunday, November 30, 2003
Firsts
The 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers first flight is approaching (December 17th). There was a good report on Weekend Edition today that had recollections by Wright family members and friends.
Another 100th anniversary occurred early this year: the first transatlantic communication by Marconi on January 18th, 1903. President Theodore Roosevelt's message was tapped out in Morse code from South Wellfleet, MA to King Edward VII who responded in kind. We were staying on Cape Cod on the anniversary and decided to visit the site of Marconi's original South Wellfleet wireless station. I was surprised at how large the original station had been.
We expect our gadgets to get smaller, faster, cheaper, etc. But revolutions in technology are rarer. It's hard to imagine the world before air travel and "instant" communications. And it was only 100 years ago, the span of one long life, when these didn't exist.
Another 100th anniversary occurred early this year: the first transatlantic communication by Marconi on January 18th, 1903. President Theodore Roosevelt's message was tapped out in Morse code from South Wellfleet, MA to King Edward VII who responded in kind. We were staying on Cape Cod on the anniversary and decided to visit the site of Marconi's original South Wellfleet wireless station. I was surprised at how large the original station had been.
We expect our gadgets to get smaller, faster, cheaper, etc. But revolutions in technology are rarer. It's hard to imagine the world before air travel and "instant" communications. And it was only 100 years ago, the span of one long life, when these didn't exist.
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