technological innovation — Bunk History

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Computers Were Supposed to Be Good

Joy Lisi Rankin’s book on the history of personal computing looks at the technology’s forgotten democratic promise.

by Gillian Terzis via The Nation on January 30, 2019

Row of suburban houses.

The Myth of "We Don't Build Houses Like We Used To"

The comment lament misses crucial context about the style trends and building materials of the past.

by Kate Wagner via Curbed on January 16, 2019

Time-Bombing the Future

Synthetics created in the 20th century have become an evolutionary force, altering human biology and the web of life.

by Rebecca Altman via Aeon on January 2, 2019

Douglas Engelbart wearing an earpiece, sitting at a computer, in 1968.

The Future, Revisited: “The Mother of All Demos” at 50

How the ’60s counterculture gave birth to personal computers and the vast tech industry that builds and sells them.

by Andy Horowitz via Los Angeles Review of Books on December 8, 2018

Sign showing a hand pushing a button.

Cute as a Button? Think Twice

A new book examines the first generation of button-pushing Americans at the turn of the 20th century.

by Anna Feuer via Los Angeles Review of Books on November 30, 2018

Illustration of a man who operates the Euphonia in its female form

Mr. and Mrs. Talking Machine

The euphonia, the phonograph, and the gendering of nineteenth century mechanical speech.

by J. Martin Vest via Sounding Out on November 12, 2018

An Alternative History of Silicon Valley Disruption

Three recent books challenge the tech industry's myths of self-reliance and prescience.

by Nitasha Tiku via Wired on October 22, 2018

The Physics Of Why Timekeeping First Failed In The Americas

The world's greatest clockmaker sent a clock to the new world – and everything went haywire.

by Ethan Siegel via Forbes on September 21, 2018

How Auto-Tune Revolutionized the Sound of Popular Music

An in-depth history of the most important pop innovation of the last 20 years, from Cher’s “Believe” to Kanye West to Migos.

by Simon Reynolds via Pitchfork on September 17, 2018

Victorian-Era Orgasms and the Crisis of Peer Review

A favorite anecdote about the origins of the vibrator is probably a myth.

by Robinson Meyer, Ashley Fetters via The Atlantic on September 6, 2018

Nostalgia is Gaming's Biggest Trend

"Tanglewood" is the first new Sega Genesis game in years - the latest example of gaming developers looking back, not ahead.

by Lewis Gordon via The Outline on August 27, 2018

The Deadly Toxin Outbreak That Spurred America's Food Safety System

To prevent botulism in tinned goods, scientists and canners worked with the government to protect the public.

by Anna Zeide via Zócalo Public Square on August 3, 2018

American Beauties

How plastic bags came to rule our lives, and why we can’t quit them.

by Rebecca Altman via Topic on August 1, 2018

Diagram of a Spencer rifle.

From Spencer Rifles to M-16s: A History Of The Weapons US Troops Wield In War

Muzzleloaders have evolved into smart-style automatic firearms in just 150 years.

by Richard S. Faulkner, Jeff Schogol via Task & Purpose on July 10, 2018

Sex, Beer, and Coding: Inside Facebook’s Wild Early Days in Palo Alto

Mark Zuckerberg and his buddies built a corporate proto-culture that continues to influence the company today.

by Adam Fisher via Wired on July 10, 2018

“Google Was Not a Normal Place”

A behind-the-scenes account of the most important company on the Internet, from grad-school all-nighters to extraordinary global power.

by Adam Fisher via The Hive on July 10, 2018

The Man Who Created the World Wide Web Has Some Regrets

Tim Berners-Lee has seen his creation debased by everything from fake news to mass surveillance. But he’s got a plan to fix it.

by Katrina Brooker via Vanity Fair on July 1, 2018

Book cover for Surveillance Valley: The Secret Military History of the Internet

The Long View: Surveillance, the Internet, and Government Research

A new book says “the Internet was developed as a weapon and remains a weapon today.” Does the charge hold up?

by Eric Gade via Los Angeles Review of Books on June 28, 2018

How the Disposable Straw Explains Modern Capitalism

A history of modern capitalism from the perspective of the straw. Seriously.

by Alexis C. Madrigal via The Atlantic on June 21, 2018

Why No One Answers Their Phone Anymore

Homeowners used to rush to pick up the phone. What happened?

by Alexis C. Madrigal via The Atlantic on May 31, 2018

‘Crush Them’: An Oral History of the Lawsuit That Upended Silicon Valley

Twenty years ago, Microsoft tried to eliminate its competition in the race for the internet's future. The government had other ideas.

by Victor Luckerson via The Ringer on May 18, 2018

A Brief History of America’s Obsession With Sneakers

Invented for athletics, sneakers eventually became status symbols and an integral part of street style.

by Kate Keller via Smithsonian on May 18, 2018

The Death and Life of the Instant-Print Camera

The iPhone era has ushered in a new fondness for analog photography that has turned clunky cameras into necessary accessories.

by Molly McHugh via The Ringer on May 15, 2018

The Surprising History (and Future) of Fingerprints

Our identity is mapped at our fingertips, but also, maybe, our individual fate.

by Chantel Tattoli via The Paris Review on May 15, 2018

Is Technology Bringing History to Life or Distorting It?

History is coming to life, and scholars are debating the merits of this wave of re-creation and manipulation.

by Steve Hendrix via Retropolis on May 10, 2018

A man demonstrating television to another.

This Futuristic Color TV Set Concept From 1922 Was Way Ahead of Its Time

Back in the earliest days of imagining what TV looked like, the appliance was a magic technology.

by Matt Novak via Paleofuture on May 4, 2018

The Internet Women Made

Claire L. Evans’s new book is a bittersweet reminder that the internet used to be freer and more fun.

by Anna Wiener via The New Republic on May 1, 2018

The Dot-Coms Were Better Than Facebook

Twenty years ago, another high-profile tech executive testified before Congress. It was a more innocent time.

by Ian Bogost via The Atlantic on April 13, 2018

Joking Aside, Rube Goldberg Got Tech Right

Goldberg's ridiculous contraptions demonstrated his canny understanding of the limits of invention.

by Ben Marks via Collectors Weekly on March 30, 2018

This Is Helen Keller’s 1932 'Modern Woman'

In 1932, Hellen Keller offered some advice for the “perplexed businessman.”

by Caitlin Cadieux via The Atlantic on February 27, 2018

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