Now we move on to the main part of the episode, to our main topic.
Radio — 1895
In the course of experiments with the propagation of electricity in the atmosphere, Alexander Popov invented a device that could receive electromagnetic signals at a distance. He demonstrated the device on May 7, 1895. During the demonstration of his invention, he transmitted a short message over a distance. That is, for the first time in history, people were able to transmit a message through the air using electromagnetic waves. Popov did not yet realize that he had created the first radio receiver — the first radio. Almost simultaneously with the Russian scientist, the Italian engineer Guglielmo Marconi developed a similar device. Therefore, in world history it is considered that radio was created by several people in different countries.
Television — 1899–1931
Konstantin Persky in 1899 presented a report in St. Petersburg on "electric vision at a distance." These were the first scientific conclusions about the possibility of transmitting an image over a distance. Already in 1928, Russian scientists Boris Grabovsky and Ivan Belyansky transmitted a moving picture for the first time. A cathode-ray tube reproducing a color image was invented. Remember the old television — the big one with a large box at the back. That is, the television that existed before modern flat-screen televisions. In such old televisions, the main part is the cathode-ray tube; it is precisely this that converts electrical signals into a picture on the screen. In 1931, almost simultaneously, Russian scientists Semyon Kataev in the USSR and Vladimir Zworykin in the USA filed documents to register a patent for the cathode-ray tube.
Incandescent Lamp — 1874
In 1874, Alexander Lodygin received a patent for a lamp with a carbon rod, and later — with a carbon filament. Coal is a black stone that is extracted from the earth and used to produce fire at home or in factories. After many years of experiments, the scientist created a model that has survived to our days: a lamp with a tungsten filament. Tungsten is a chemical element, a metal with unique properties. Its main feature is the highest melting point among all metals: about 3420 °C. That is why tungsten is used where it is necessary to withstand superhigh temperatures, for example, in a lamp.
Electric Motor — 1834
In November 1834, a report from the Russian scientist Boris Jacobi was received at the Academy of Sciences in the city of Paris (France). In it, the scientist described the principle of continuous rotational action of an electric motor. Boris Jacobi's device became the ancestor ("grandfather") of modern devices: electric motors are present in almost all household appliances, for example, in a refrigerator, fan, mixer, coffee machine, vacuum cleaner, and others.
Helicopter — 1939
Igor Sikorsky, an outstanding aircraft designer. An aircraft designer is an inventor of airplanes and helicopters. Sikorsky created the first successful helicopter in 1939 after emigrating to the USA. His model VS-300 became a prototype for many helicopters. Sikorsky's contribution consisted not simply in the idea of a helicopter, but in the creation of the first practical and mass-production-suitable design. Sikorsky's invention revolutionized transport accessibility, rescue, and military operations. The possibility of vertical takeoff and hovering in the air made it possible to reach the most inaccessible places.
First Satellite — 1957
The code name of the first artificial Earth satellite was PS-1 — which means "Simplest Satellite-1." It looked like this: a sphere (ball) with antennas resembling long thin legs. The satellite studied how radio waves pass through the Earth's atmosphere. It also measured air density at high altitude and tested how its equipment works in space. Developed by a group of Soviet scientists and launched into Earth orbit on October 4, 1957, the apparatus was perceived as humanity's first step into space.
Laser — 1954
The principle of operation of the laser was predicted back at the beginning of the 20th century by the great scientist Albert Einstein. But the first to do it were Soviet scientists. In 1939, they suggested that it was possible to create a powerful directed beam of light. That is, light in the form of a narrow strip that can be directed. The scientists created the world's first generator (a device) that produced constant electromagnetic waves, and at the output of the device a strong beam of light appeared. In 1964, for this discovery, Soviet scientists received the Nobel Prize. Together with them, the prize was also received by the American physicist Charles Townes — he conducted similar research in the USA.
Nuclear Power Plant — 1954
Scientists understood that the energy of atomic fission could be used for peaceful purposes even during the development of the atomic bomb. The first nuclear power plant was launched in June 1954. The fuel for the power plant was enriched uranium. Uranium is a heavy silvery-white metal that occurs in nature in the form of ore, which is extracted from the earth. The most important property of uranium is that its nuclei can split and release a huge amount of energy. In simple words: uranium is the "fuel" for nuclear power plants.
Tetris — 1984
In 1984, programmer Alexey Pajitnov tried to transfer the "tetromino" puzzle to the computer. The puzzle was improved and programmed for the Soviet computer "Electronika-60." At first, "Tetris" looked quite primitive: the figures consisted of text symbols like brackets and dashes. A little later, another programmer, Vadim Gerasimov, rewrote the game for American IBM computers in the form already familiar to everyone. "Tetris" became a hit (very popular) among people who had the first computers in the USSR. Several large global companies fought for the right to release the game (for the license to "Tetris") in the late 1980s. In the end, the rights went to the famous Japanese company Nintendo. The version of the game for Game Boy became the most successful: it sold more than 30 million copies and made "Tetris" world-famous.
Kalashnikov Assault Rifle (AK-47) — 1947
Mikhail Kalashnikov created an assault rifle that became the most recognizable weapon in the world. The designer himself said that he began developing weapons after a serious wound in 1941, when he saw that Soviet soldiers did not have reliable automatic weapons. The assault rifle was adopted for service in 1947, and it became famous for its simplicity and reliability: the AK-47 works in mud, sand, heat, and cold, where more complex weapons jam (stop working). It was precisely for this simplicity and endurance that the AK-47 became a symbol of reliability and one of the most famous Russian inventions of the 20th century.
Conclusion
Today we learned a lot of interesting things about Russian and Soviet inventions. Surely, you learned something new for yourself. Maybe you played "Tetris" and did not realize that it was a game by a Soviet programmer.
Friends, now let's repeat the new words that you learned today: radio, invention, television, patent, experiment, electric motor, satellite, laser, nuclear power station.