1900: The first appearance of the word “television”
It was Russian scientist Constantin Perskyi who coined the word in a paper presented to the International Electricity Congress at Paris’s World’s Fair. The paper, “Télévision au moyen de l’électricité” (“Television through electricity”) discussed electromagnetic technology and contemplated the possibility of using it to transmit images over long distances.
In a later paper, foreseeing the future of some of the images which this new technology would one day transmit, Perskyi went on to coin the terms “la boîte idiot” and “le tube de boob.” -A.D.
Today’s Birthdays: Rachel Bilson, OC-ian (31); Billy Ray Cyrus, Montana père (51); Anthony Heald, Boston civil servant (68); Blake Lively, gossiper (25); Monty Hall, deal-maker (91); Kel Mitchell, all that (34); Marti Noxon, high schooler scribe (48); Regis Philbin, record-holder (81); Rachael Ray, foodie (44); Blair Underwood, Event executive (48).
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