Technology: From Invention to Innovation!

#57 Week 12

Author

Sigrun Sørumgård
March 20, 2025

Take a journey through the greatest technological advancements in history!

  1. Who invented the first practical telephone?

  2. What invention is Tim Berners-Lee known for?

  3. Which mathematician and computer scientist played a key role in the development of the Bomben, a machine that helped break the German Enigma code during World War II?

  4. Who founded Microsoft in 1975?

  5. What year was the first email sent?

  6. Which gaming company created the popular franchises Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda?

  7. What year was the first iPhone released?

  8. Who was the scientist who experimentally confirmed the existence of electromagnetic waves, including radio waves, in the 1880s?

  9. What does "USB" stand for?

  10. What is the name of Google's parent company?

The Wonder Wall

  • The first email sent from the White House was from Bill Clinton on November 7, 1998, when he responded to an email from astronaut and Senator John Glenn, who was in space.

    Dear John, Thanks for your message. Hillary and I had a great time at the launch. We are very proud of you and the entire crew, and a little jealous. We can’t wait for you to get home so we can have a first hand report. Meanwhile back on earth, we’re having a lot of fun with your adventure. At a camp rally in Queens, I asked an 83 year old lady what she thought of your trip. She replied that it seemed like a perfectly fine thing for a young man like you to do! I hope your last few hours go well. Give my best to the rest of the crew. Sincerely, Bill Clinton.

  • On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, a Motorola researcher and executive, made the first mobile telephone call from handheld subscriber equipment, placing a call to Dr. Joel S. Engel of Bell Labs (AT&T), his rival.

  • The first television broadcast was done in 1925 with a greyscale image in a 30-line vertically scanned format, at five pictures per second.

Yesterday´s Questions & Answers

  1. What is the capital city of Brazil?

    The current capital of Brazil, since its construction in 1960, is Brasília. Rio de Janeiro was the country's capital between 1763 and 1960.

  2. Which popular Brazilian martial art combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music?

    Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art and game that includes elements of dance, acrobatics, music and spirituality.

  3. What is the name of the famous Brazilian national park located in the state of Paraná, known for its spectacular waterfalls shared with Argentina?

    Iguazu Falls (Iguaçu Falls)

  4. Which Brazilian president, often remembered for his progressive reforms, served from 2003 to 2011 and was the first working-class president in Brazil? He is the current president as of January 2023.

    Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is known mononymously as Lula, is a Brazilian politician who is the 39th and current president of Brazil since 2023. A member of the Workers' Party, Lula was also the 35th president from 2003 to 2011.

  5. Brazil is Latin America's most populous country, with around 210 million inhabitants. But how does the country rank in the world?

    Brazil is the world's seventh largest country by population. The countries from above Brazil are: India, China, USA, Indonesia, Pakistan and Nigeria.  

  6. And Brazil is the largest country in area in South America. But where does it rank worldwide in area?

    Fifth. The only countries larger than Brazil are Russia, Canada, China and the United States. It is over three million square miles.

  7. Brazil has won the World Cup five times. Who has scored the most goals for the national team?

    Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, also known as Neymar Júnior or simply Neymar is Brazil's all-time top goalscorer with 79 goals, in front of Pelé with 77 goals.

  8. What is the name of the world-famous statue that overlooks the city of Rio de Janeiro?

    Christ the Redeemer

  9. Which are the only South American countries that Brazil doesn't border?

    Brazil has borders with every country in South America with the exception of Chile and Ecuador.

  10. Which animal, native to the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, is often considered one of the most powerful predators in the region, known for its spotted coat and powerful jaws?

    The Jaguar