Mistakes That Made America: Slinky

A naval engineer’s failed attempt to stabilize sensitive ship equipment accidentally sends a spring tumbling down a shelf, sparking the creation of the Slinky, a simple misfire that bounces its way into becoming one of the most beloved toys of all time.

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Mistakes That Made America: Superglue

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The Birth of the Internet

On October 29, 1969, Stanford programmer Bill Duvall sent a single-word message—"login"—to UCLA student programmer Charley Kline, 350 miles away. Transmitted between two computers that each filled an entire room, this message marked the first communication between networked computers and is widely regarded as the birth of the internet.

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Grace Hopper Pioneers Computer Programming

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The Hollywood Actress Who Invented WiFi

Hollywood actress Hedy Lamarr is remembered for more than her acting—she invented a signal-hopping technology used in Wi-Fi.