![]() She designed the first computer algorithm around it, and is now said to be the world’s first computer programmer. Originally hired to simply translate Babbage’s teachings into English, she realized the Engine had capabilities far beyond simple calculations. Others argue he had a good idea, but it wouldn’t have worked without another key player.Īda Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron, is best known for her contributions to the Analytical Engine. Charles Babbage is regarded as the Father of Computers by some. ![]() The Analytical Engine is largely considered the first programmable computer, as it was Turing-complete by today’s standards. Once again the British Government helped Babbage bring it to fruition, but left him high and dry when it became too expensive to complete. At first, the British Government was interested in funding his project, but later, upon realizing it was more trouble than it was worth, they abandoned it.Ī decade later, he improved his design and conceptualized the Analytical Engine. In 1822, he invented the difference engine - a mechanical calculator. The first viable mechanical computers were designed by Charles Babbage in the 19th century, but they never saw the light of day. Most of them were women, because they were paid less than men. According to the Oxford Dictionary, the first recorded mention of computers was in 1614, in a book called The Yong Mans Gleanings by Richard Brathwait, referencing these mathematicians. The word “computer” originally referenced people whose job it was to carry out complex calculations. The relic used dials and gears, and seems to be the first of its kind. Archeologists believe ancient Greek scientists used it to predict astronomical happenings, and track the planets and the four-year Olympic cycle. This gave rise to a number of similar mechanical counting devices over the course of ancient history, and in turn led to the first iterations of computing, like the Antikythera Mechanism.ĭiscovered in a shipwreck off the coast of Greece, it’s thought to be the oldest known example of an analog computer. Although the origin of math is unknown, it’s widely believed primitive astronomers were the first to use it, to track lunar cycles and other celestial events.įrom there, counting systems were an inevitability, and as humanity evolved and progressed, tools to help us along were designed - namely the abacus, created around 2700 BCE in Mesopotamia. ![]() They were hypothesized long before they existed, thanks to mathematics. This isn’t to say computers fell out of the sky after a single moment of inspiration. In the grander scheme of things, the internet was invented yesterday. On the Cosmic Calendar - a timeline of the universe depicted as a calendar year - modern computers would have come to be in the last second, of the last minute, of December 31st. It almost goes without saying, but they’re a relatively young invention, and didn’t exist for most of human history. ![]() First, Let’s Talk About ComputersĬomputers are central to almost every aspect of digital technology, so it’s difficult to imagine a time when they didn’t exist. Learn what led to it, how it began, and how it evolved into something few of us can live without. How, then, did it become such an integral part of society?Ĭome with me on a journey through time to discover the unlikely origins of the world wide web. We don’t typically stop to marvel at it, because it’s become a staple - like denim, or cars, or video games. The internet isn’t something we pay heed to, as long as it does what we need it to do. Imagine trying to explain it to someone from medieval times! Little machines transmit electromagnetic waves to and fro so we can communicate long distance, stream entertainment, or send cat memes. When you think about it, the internet is a ridiculous concept. ![]()
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