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MIT was founded by William Barton Rodgers
MIT was founded by William Barton Rodgers, the idea was first established far before its actual creation. The idea was for MIT to be a polytechnic school, offering multiple classes and subject of higher education. Source
https://libraries.mit.edu/mithistory/mit-facts/#:~:text=MIT%20was%20founded%20on%20April,first%20classes%20beginning%20in%201865. -
The Iconic Beaver Mascot
The Beaver was chosen over other animals for what it represents. Mr. Hornaday, an advocate for the innovative animal said, "'Of all the animals of the world, the beaver is noted for his engineering and mechanical skill and habits of industry. His habits are nocturnal, he does his best work in the dark." Source
https://studentlife.mit.edu/cac/event-services-spaces/adventures-tim-beaver/mascot-history#:~:text=It%20explains%20the%20beginnings%20of,and%20its%20habits%20of%20industry. -
Cambridge becomes the main campus
Cambridge was decided to be a better location for the future of MIT. Moving over the bank in Boston. Source
https://mit2016.mit.edu/campus-cambridge/evolving-frontier#:~:text=When%20MIT%20moved%20its%20campus,of%20institutional%20architecture%20and%20construction. -
William Shockley Attends MIT
William -who previously attended the University of California- attended MIT in 1932, eventually graduating with his Ph. D in 1936. William Shockley would eventually go on to invent the transistors, which would make computers what they are today. Source
https://nationalmaglab.org/education/magnet-academy/history-of-electricity-magnetism/pioneers/william-shockley -
Nobert Wiener and Cybernetics
Nobert Wiener would write a book while at MIT, named "Cybernetics", simultaneously coining the famous word used frequently today. This book would create an entire field in engineering revolving around the idea of cyber engineering. Source
https://news.mit.edu/2011/timeline-wiener-0119 -
MIT Lincoln Laboratory is Constructed
Lincoln Laboratory would become one of the best research centers in the world and would lead to many great inventions, changing our way of life forever. Source
https://www.ll.mit.edu/about/history#:~:text=Lincoln%20Laboratory%20was%20established%20in,for%20the%20Allied%20war%20effort. -
TX-0
An extremely cumbersome computer with MIT being one of the only places in the world with access to this machine. Numerous hackers would work on this machine and pioneer computer technology for the future generations. Source
https://dbpedia.org/page/TX-0 -
William Shockley Nobel Prize
William Shockley receives the Nobel Prize for his invention of the transistor, a revolutionary device in computers. Source
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/individual/william-shockley#:~:text=William%20Shockley%2C%20Stanford%20professor%20and,made%20him%20an%20academic%20pariah. -
Ballistic Missile Defense Program
Project funded by the US Military. This program would be researched and developed by Lincoln Laboratories at MIT. Source 1
https://www.ll.mit.edu/r-d/air-missile-and-maritime-defense-technology/integrated-missile-defense-technology
Source 2
https://www.ll.mit.edu/about/history/sage-semi-automatic-ground-environment-air-defense-system -
First Satellite TV Transmission
The worlds first television transmission with the words, "M.I.T." displayed on the screen.
Source
http://tech.mit.edu/V120/N24/this_week.24f.html -
Project MAC
AKA. Project on Mathematic and Computation was the project for the first time-sharing system, which would eventually become the internet. Source
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Project-Mac -
Artificial Intelligence at MIT
A.I. was computer science engineering off shoot of Project MAC. A.I. would eventually become part of CSAIL at MIT. Source
https://libraries.mit.edu/mithistory/research/labs/lcs/ -
Richard Stallman Works at A.I. Lab at MIT
Richard Stallman, also known as "The Last of the True Hackers", is an advocate for total computer freedom. Richard Stallman is responsible for a lot of computer systems and ideals we have today. His participation in GNU even lead to the formative OS Linux. Source
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Stallman -
Richard Stallman Starts GNU Project
GNU is a nonprofit Free Software Foundation. Richard Stallman's ideas of "Free Software" have lead to the development of thousands of software accessible to anyone and everyone all across the internet. Eventually GNU would create GNU GPL known as copyleft (the opposite of copyright) where software can be changed but not released publicly. Source
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Stallman -
Stallman's GNU helps create Linux
Linux, which is an open source OS that is freely changed and improved by its users. Source
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Richard-Stallman -
Gravitational Waves Discovery
With help from MIT scientists, Albert Einstein's theory of
relativity regarding the existence of gravitational waves would be successful proven to be real. Source
https://science.mit.edu/big-stories/detecting-gravitational-waves/ -
MIT and Fusion Power
MIT partners with external companies to research and create fusion power. Source
https://news.mit.edu/2021/MIT-CFS-major-advance-toward-fusion-energy-0908 -
First Image of a Black Hole
NASA and MIT scientists successfully take the first ever photo of a black hole.
Source
https://news.mit.edu/2019/eht-astronomers-direct-image-black-hole-0410