Computers

Computers can do lots of jobs. They can do maths, store information, or play music. You can use a computer to write or to play games. What do you know about the history of computers?

The first computers were very big. They were the size of a room! They were so big that people didn't have them at home. Early computers could also only do simple maths, like a calculator. In the 1930s Alan Turing had the idea for a computer you could program to do different things.

In 1958 Jack Kilby invented the microchip. Microchips are tiny but can store lots of information. They helped make computers smaller. In the 1970s computers were smaller and cheaper so people started to use them at home. In the 1980s computer games were very popular. Lots of people bought computers just to play games.

In 1989 Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, which is a way to organise information on the internet. Now people all over the world can look for and share information on websites.

Today people can use smartphones to play games, email and go on the internet. In the past a simple computer was the size of a room. Now it can go in your pocket!

Fun facts

• More than 5 billion people use the internet!
• More than 300 billion emails are sent every day!
• The first computer mouse was made of wood!