The first product to have its barcode scanned at a checkout was a pack of Wrigley's chewing gum in 1974.

The first webcam was invented to check if a coffee pot in a Cambridge lab was full without walking downstairs.

Fact #3790 · Technology

Architecture often reflects the climate and materials of a region.

Fact #67 · Technology

The Panama Canal uses a system of locks to lift ships.

Fact #1532 · Technology

The first hard disk drive, released by IBM in 1956, weighed over a ton and stored just 5 MB of data.

Fact #4360 · Technology

The compass improved navigation at sea.

Fact #1551 · Technology

The development of MRI technology improved internal imaging.

Fact #1195 · Technology

More than 90% of the world's currency exists only digitally — not as physical cash.

Fact #3800 · Technology

The Shanghai Maglev train reaches extremely high speeds.

Fact #1535 · Technology