Creating the Twentieth Century: Technical Innovations of 1867-1914 and Their Lasting ImpactThe period between 1867 and 1914 remains the greatest watershed in human history since the emergence of settled agricultural societies: the time when an expansive civilization based on synergy of fuels, science, and technical innovation was born. At its beginnings in the 1870s were dynamite, the telephone, photographic film, and the first light bulbs. Its peak decade - the astonishing 1880s - brought electricity - generating plants, electric motors, steam turbines, the gramophone, cars, aluminum production, air-filled rubber tires, and prestressed concrete. And its post-1900 period saw the first airplanes, tractors, radio signals and plastics, neon lights and assembly line production. This book is a systematic interdisciplinary account of the history of this outpouring of European and American intellect and of its truly epochal consequences. It takes a close look at four fundamental classes of these epoch-making innovations: formation, diffusion, and standardization of electric systems; invention and rapid adoption of internal combustion engines; the unprecedented pace of new chemical syntheses and material substitutions; and the birth of a new information age. These chapters are followed by an evaluation of the lasting impact these advances had on the 20th century, that is, the creation of high-energy societies engaged in mass production aimed at improving standards of living. |
Contents
| 3 | |
2 The Age of Electricity | 33 |
3 Internal Combustion Engines | 99 |
4 New Materials and New Syntheses | 153 |
5 Communication and Information | 199 |
6 A New Civilization | 259 |
7 Contemporary Perceptions | 303 |
| 313 | |
| 337 | |
| 343 | |
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20th century Age of Synergy alloys aluminum ammonia applications basic became began Benz Benz & Cie built carbon coal commercial converted cylinder Daimler decades device diesel diffusion dynamos early economic Edison efficiency electric lights electric motors electromagnetic energy eventually experiments explosive figure filament filed film Ford’s four-stroke fuel fundamental furnace German global Hall-Héroult process heat Hertz HVAC improved incandescent lights industry innovations installed internal combustion engines introduced invention inventors iron Karl Benz lamps largest late later less lightbulbs London machines manufacturing Marconi Maybach mechanical metal million Model modern nitrogen nitroglycerine Nobel operation pioneering Poldhu pre-WWI prime movers produced rapid Reproduced Scientific American Siemens Smil speed station steam engines steam turbines steel synthesis technical advances techniques telephone Tesla today’s transformers transmission transmitter U.S. Patent United Kingdom vehicles voltage Westinghouse wire wireless York