A Science Odyssey – Bigger, Better, Faster

Our science odyssey starts in a modest, turn-of-the-century home. Inklings of change are evident, but are the residents prepared for the technological transformation the coming years will bring? The startling view of gravity-defying humans flying free from the earth is just an introduction to the surprises ahead. And each new technological development, whether a car for the masses or a worldwide computer network, brings profound changes to homes across the country and the globe – and to the lives of the people in them. Highlights include: The Wright brothers. France and the US compete for first flying honors. Cal Rodgers, the “Vin Fiz” Flyer, and the first trans-American flight. The airplane goes to war. Henry Ford and the Model T. Mass production – and consumption. Technology pushes social change. Radio. The 1939 World’s Fair. Breaking the polymer barrier. Wallace Carothers and nylon. The Whirlwind. NASA and the space race. The Internet and the World Wide Web.