Did You Know That The World’s First Programmable Electronic Computer Was Invented in Philly?
Did you know the world’s first programmable, electronic, general-purpose digital computer was invented in Philly?
That’s right the birthplace of America is also the birthplace of the information age.
Completed in 1945 on the campus of University of Pennsylvania, ENIAC ( Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was designed by John Maulchly & J. Presper Eckert to calculate artillery firing tables.
Called “The Great Brain” by the media it consisted of 18,000 vacuum tubes, 7,200 crystal diodes, 1,500 relays, 70,000 resistors, 10,000 capacitors, and 5,000,00 hand-soldered joints. Now you have a more powerful computer that fits in your pocket. Parts of this computer are on display at UPenn. Learn this and more on your next Founding Footsteps BYOB tour.
