Source here -
http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/04/01/c...ogy/index.html
Top 25: Technological breakthroughs
Advances in computers, entertainment and science top list
Friday, April 1, 2005 Posted: 11:20 AM EST (1620 GMT)
(CNN) -- Advances that transformed how the world communicates are among the top 25 technological breakthroughs of the past quarter century, according to a panel of experts assembled by CNN.
Having a computer in almost every American home (No. 5) has changed the way the world conducts business and how people communicate. Computers have gone from whirring behemoths to devices that fit in every room -- or every pocket.
"We see them in our cell phones, our PDAs," said Suzanne Kantra of Popular Science magazine. "Kids' toys in particular have taken off in the ability to be smart."
And just as computer use worldwide is exploding, the brains behind them -- the processors -- are getting smaller. Computer chips made the list at No. 9, and today a chip that you can balance on your fingertip can hold massive amounts of data.
This ability to store (No. 10) tons of information in cell phones or digital cameras allows us to keep our smart technology portable.
But even as our technology is getting faster and smarter, so is the e-baggage (No. 20) that comes with it.
When the Internet age dawned, the World Wide Web looked a bit like Eden. Not a sneaky snake in sight. Today, however, we are mired in problems caused by things like online scams and viruses -- traps aimed at taking down your computer and sometimes even your identity.
An entire industry meant to curb e-baggage and protect consumers has formed in reaction to this threat.
Scripting your entertainment experience
Technological advances have also transformed the entertainment industry...
TOP TECH BREAKTHROUGHS
2) Defense technology
3) Alternative fuel vehicles
4) Biotechnology
5) Computers
6) Lasers
7) Genomics
8) Global finance
9) Processors
10) Digital storage
11) Space
12) Fiber optics
13) Satellite TV & radio
14) DNA testing
15) Video games
16) Biometrics
17) Energy and water savers
18) Scanning tunneling microscopes
19) Batteries
20) E-baggage
21) Remote controls
22) Animal cloning
23) Manufacturing technology
24) The big picture
25) Weather technology
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