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Electricity
William Gilbert first coined the word electricity. -
Nature of Electricity
Ben Franklin tied a key to a kite during a storm and proved that static electricity and lightning were the same. -
Electrical Relay
Joseph Henry invented the electrical relay, which could send electrical currents long distances. -
Electric Telegraph
Samuel Morse invented the electric telegraph, a machine that could send messages long distances across wires. -
Coil Transformer
William Stanley Jr. developed the induction coil transformer and an alternating current electric system. -
Air Conditioning
Willis H. Carrier designed the first system to control temperature and humidity. -
Television
Philo Farnsworth demonstrates the first television for potential investors by broadcasting the image of a dollar sign -
Digital Computer
John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry of Iowa State College complete the prototype of the first digital computer. It can store data and perform addition and subtractions using binary code. -
Space Shuttle
For the first time, NASA successfully launches and lands its reusable spacecraft, the Space Shuttle. -
PC
In January "Time" names its 1982 "man" of the year -- the personal computer. PC's have taken the world by storm, dramatically changing the way people communicate. -
Hubble Telescope
The space shuttle Discovery deploys the Hubble Space telescope 350 miles above the Earth.
