Richard Overy makes his choice of the 50 key dates in human history. Looking at those associated with the sciences, then I would broadly agree. However, I really do question his choice of 1959: Invention of the Silicon Chip. That, to me, is mere packaging; the real key date was 1947 when Bardeen, Brittain and Shockley invented the transistor – a totally new technology that replaced thermionic valves.
50 Key Dates
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2 responses to “50 Key Dates”
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Hi Geoff,I have your blog as feed in my RSS reader and have been picking up interesting pointers from time to time. As you, I am with interest following the debate on religion/atheism centered around people like Hitchens, Dawkins, Harris etc having read their books (and on their side). I also share your interest in science and evolution. On this particular posting re invention of the chip I couldn’t resist making a comment. I think the innovation of the chip isnot just packaging. The new idea was that you could have a complete circuit including resistors (and to a lesser extent capacitors) made out of silicon on a silicon substrate. If it weren’t for this invention we might still be limited to something like SLT as was used in System/360 which in no way could have followed Moore’s law.Groetjes,Jim
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Hi Jim,
Weeell – I see your point, but without the (silicon-based) transistor in the first place, the silicon chip would be unlikely to arise. So I’m still going to vote for the transistor as having the key date. I see I’m also supported in this by my copy of The Science Book, which lists 250 key dates in the history of science. The transistor is in, but the chip is not…
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