Innovation stories

The stories behind innovations that changed the world and how we communicate

Close-up of the first point-contact transistor invented at Bell Labs in 1947. The device is mounted on a clear plastic stand, showing its small size and intricate wire structure. It sits on a white pedestal against a blue background, highlighting its historical significance in electronics.

The transistor: 75 years since the famed Nokia Bell Labs invention changed the world

Celebrate 75 years of the transistor: Nokia Bell Labs' groundbreaking invention. Explore its history and enduring impact on modern technology and society.

Information Theory Turns 75

Claude Shannon published the pivotal paper that launched the digital age

A goliath among giants - Claude E. Shannon

View an illustrated timeline of Shannon’s greatest discoveries and how they shaped – and continue to shape – technological innovation.

Arno Penzias & Robert Wilson in front of the antenna

Confirming the Big Bang

In 1964, Bell Labs' Penzias and Wilson accidentally discovered cosmic microwave background radiation, pivotal evidence confirming the Big Bang theory.

50 years of Unix

A simple but elegant time-share software system for minicomputers

Bjarne Stroustrup writing on a chalk board

The rise of C++

Bjarne Stroustrup, creator of C++, revolutionized programming with object-oriented design and efficiency, shaping modern software and influencing countless languages.

Charge-coupled device

The breakthrough that enabled digital imaging from DSLR cameras to medical endoscopes

Douglas Aircraft technicians attach the Communications Satellite Telstar

Telstar 1

Telstar 1, launched in 1962 by AT&T Bell Labs and NASA, revolutionized global communication with the first live TV and phone transmissions across continents.

From maser to laser

A device made to study molecular structures revolutionizes industry

Super-Resolved Fluorescence Microscopy

A technique that reveals high-res 3D images of subcellular activity in real time

Quantum cascade laser

The Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL), first realized at Bell Labs in 1994, revolutionized spectroscopy and sensing, earning global accolades for its inventors.