The younger you are, the more deeply computers are woven into your everyday life. We rarely stop to think about how deep computer history goes, but once you delve in, you’ll find some surprising facts. From room-sized computers used during wartime to pocket devices more powerful than early supercomputers, computer evolution has been rapid, creative, and stunning. Understanding the origins of today’s computers helps us appreciate how fast innovative technology can change the world. Below are eight interesting facts about computer history that illustrate the astounding development of computers.
8 Computer Facts
1. The first “computers” were humans. (Source)
Before electronic computers, humans did the complex work that today’s computers do. These human computers were usually mathematicians performing hand-drawn calculations in fields such as engineering, astronomy, navigation, physics, and finance. Many of these same people were crucial to the development of computers, looking for a way to replace the most labor-intensive parts of their work.
2. ENIAC was an enormous computer that filled an entire room. (Source)
This computer prototype was only accessible to large organizations. ENIAC stands for Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer, and it’s considered by many to be the first general-purpose computer. It weighed over 30 tons, but despite the large size, it was far less powerful than today’s smartphones.
3. The first computer programmers were women. (Source)
Speaking of ENIAC, it was programmed by six women. Programming was once considered clerical work, not engineering, so this work generally fell to women who played a major role in early software development. Many of these women were recruited by the U.S. Army to use mechanical desktop calculators for programming.
4. The first computer bug was a real insect, not a metaphor. (Source)
In 1947, researchers working on the Harvard Mark II computer found a moth stuck in a relay, causing malfunctions. The researchers taped the dead moth in a logbook and popularized the term “computer bugs” to describe software errors.
5. Transistors shrank the size of computers. (Source)
Early computers relied on vacuum tubes—large and delicate components that generated significant heat. The transistor’s invention in 1937 allowed computers to become faster, more reliable, more energy-efficient, and, most notably, smaller.
6. The first personal computers emerged in the 1970s. (Source)
At first, computers were owned by only governments, universities, and large corporations. But in the ‘70s, machines like the Altair 8800 and the Apple II introduced computers for small businesses and personal home use, prompting a computing revolution.
7. Modern smartphones outperform the supercomputers of yesterday. (Source)
An average smartphone has more processing power than the computers used for the Apollo Moon missions. This giant leap in computing power shows how quickly computer technology has advanced over the past few decades.
8. The mouse was invented in the 1960s. (Source)
The computer mouse was invented by Douglas Engelbart in 1964, but it wasn’t widely used until decades later. Early computer mice were made of wood and metal and had only one button
Featured image photo credit: Pixabay
