The History of Roads and Asphalt

The first indications of constructed roads date from about 4000 BC and consist of stone paved streets at Ur in modern-day Iraq and timber roads preserved in a swamp in Glastonbury, England.

Late 1800s Road Builders
The road builders of the late 1800s depended solely on stone, gravel and sand for construction. Water would be used as a binder to give some unity to the road surface.

John Metcalfe, a Scot born in 1717, built about 180 miles of roads in Yorkshire, England (even though he was blind). His well drained roads were built with three layers: large stones; excavated road material; and a layer of gravel.

Modern tarred roads were the result of the work of two Scottish engineers, Thomas Telford and John Loudon McAdam. Telford designed the system of raising the foundation of the road in the center to act as a drain for water. Thomas Telford (born 1757) improved the method of building roads with broken stones by analyzing stone thickness, road traffic, road alignment and gradient slopes. Eventually his design became the norm for all roads everywhere. John Loudon McAdam (born 1756) designed roads using broken stones laid in symmetrical, tight patterns and covered with small stones to create a hard surface. McAdam's design, called "macadam roads," provided the greatest advancement in road construction.

Asphalt Roads
Today, 96% of all paved roads and streets in the U.S. - almost two million miles - are surfaced with asphalt. Almost all paving asphalt used today is obtained by processing crude oils. After everything of value is removed, the leftovers are made into asphalt cement for pavement. Man-made asphalt consists of compounds of hydrogen and carbon with minor proportions of nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen. Natural forming asphalt, or brea, also contains mineral deposits.

The first road use of asphalt occurred in 1824, when asphalt blocks were placed on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. Modern road asphalt was the work of Belgian immigrant Edward de Smedt at Columbia University in New York City. By 1872, De Smedt had engineered a modern, "well-graded," maximum-density asphalt. The first uses of this road asphalt were in Battery Park and on Fifth Avenue in New York City in 1872 and on Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington D.C., in 1877.

History of Sound Recoding

Innovations related to sound technology from wax cylinder records and antique phonographs to digital recording and MP3s.

Thomas Edison - Tin Foil Phonograph
The first great invention developed by Edison in Menlo Park was the tin foil phonograph.
The History of the Edison Cylinder Phonograph
The History of the Edison Disc Phonograph
Emile Berliner - Gramophone & Records
In 1887, Emile Berliner patented a successful system of sound recording. Berliner was the first inventor to stop recording on cylinders and start recording on flat disks or records.
Valdemar Poulsen - Wire Recorders
Poulsen's recorder used magnetized steel piano wire as the recording medium.
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Magnetic Tape
A pioneer in the early history of magnetic tape recording, Semi Joseph Begun's advancements in the magnetic tape field eventually provided the 3M company with a billion dollar industry.
Cassette Tape
The Philips Company of the Netherlands invented and released the first compact audio-cassette in 1962.
The History of Microphones
Microphones convert sound waves into electrical voltages that are eventually converted back into sound waves thru speakers. They were first used with early telephones and then radio transmitters.
Eight Track Tape
William Lear invented the eight track tape.
The History of Loudspeakers
In 1877, Ernst Siemens patented the first loudspeaker.
What is Surround Sound?
What is surround sound?
High Fidelity
Hi-Fi or high fidelity recording began in Germany during the Second World War.
The Invention of Radio
Radio owes its development to two other inventions, the telegraph and the telephone.
The History of the Sony Walkman
Sony and other companies began designing new compact and portable tape recorders and players to take advantage of the cassette tape's smaller size.
Audio Oscillator
An audio oscillator is an electronic instrument used to test sound equipment.
The History of MP3
The German company Fraunhofer-Gesellshaft developed MP3 technology and now licenses the patent rights to the audio compression technology.
Marvin Camras: Audio Tape Recording
Marvin Camras' inventions are commonly used in magnetic tape recording heads, magnetic sound for motion pictures and video tape recording
Sound Recording Technology History
The history and impact of the inventions that changed the way we listen
Chronology of Magnetic Recording (audio/video)
A timeline of events in magnetic recording from 1878 to 1984.
History of Vinyl Records
From the first syllable of recorded time - this is the story of plastic that shook the world, a guide to the key players and events which shaped the record's development.
Early Recorded Sounds & Wax Cylinders
Explore early sound recording methods, two-minute wax cylinder records and antique phonographs. See rare vintage photos and enjoy listening to early recorded sounds taken directly from the original wax cylinders.

Automobile History

The History of Cars

Written by your guide: A multi-part feature on the history of automobiles starting with the first steam, electrical, and gasoline-engine cars. Learn the controversy behind discovering who was really first in car history and understand the importance of the internal combustion engine. The lives of many famous automotive makers are explored in detail with special pages on the assembly line, the origins of the name automobile, the patent disputes, and more.

Famous Automobile Makers

Nicolaus August Otto
Nicolaus August Otto invented the gas motor engine in 1876.

Gottlieb Daimler
In 1885, Gottlieb Daimler invented a gas engine that allowed for a revolution in car design.

Karl Benz (Carl Benz)
Karl Benz was the German mechanical engineer who designed and in 1885 built the world's first practical automobile to be powered by an internal-combustion engine.

John Lambert
America's first gasoline-powered automobile was the 1891 Lambert car invented by John W. Lambert.

Duryea Brothers
They founded America's first company to manufacture and sell gasoline-powered vehicles.

Henry Ford
Henry Ford improved the assembly line for automobile manufacturing (Model-T), invented a transmission mechanism, and popularized the gas-powered automobile.

Rudolf Diesel
Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel-fueled internal combustion engine.

Charles Franklin Kettering
Charles Franklin Kettering invented the first automobile electrical ignition system and the first practical engine-driven generator.