Language Lab
This is the most widely spoken language in the United States.
English
English has been the de facto language of the U.S. since colonial times, though it’s never been declared the official language federally.
This American author created the detective character Philip Marlowe in novels like The Big Sleep.
Raymond Chandler
Chandler’s hard-boiled detective stories helped define the noir genre in 20th-century literature.
This clever rabbit often outsmarts hunters and other characters, first appearing in 1940.
Bugs Bunny
Bugs Bunny was voiced by Mel Blanc, who also voiced Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, and many other characters.
This device, first commercially sold in 1929, allowed people to see and hear live broadcasts in their homes.
Television
By 1960, nearly 90% of U.S. households owned a TV.
This black-and-orange-themed holiday decoration is carved from a gourd and often lit from inside.
Jack-o’-lantern
The tradition comes from an Irish myth about “Stingy Jack,” and pumpkins became popular in America in the 19th century.
This pictorial writing system was used in ancient Egypt.
Hieroglyphics
Hieroglyphics were fully deciphered in the 19th century using the Rosetta Stone.
This fantasy author created The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
J.R.R. Tolkien
Tolkien, a professor of Anglo-Saxon, invented entire languages for his books.
This iconic Disney character made his first appearance in the 1928 short Steamboat Willie.
Mickey Mouse
Steamboat Willie was one of the first cartoons with synchronized sound.
This 1970s invention by Ray Tomlinson allowed people to send messages electronically between computers.
omlinson used the “@” symbol to separate the user’s name from the computer name.
This classic 1932 monster movie features a creature with green skin and bolts in his neck.
Frankenstein
Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the monster became the definitive image for generations.
This “universal” language was created in the late 19th century to foster global communication.
Esperanto
Esperanto was invented by L. L. Zamenhof in 1887 and still has speakers worldwide today.
This American author wrote Ariel and The Colossus, exploring personal and emotional themes in poetry.
Sylvia Plath
Plath’s poetry is known for its intense imagery and emotional depth, influencing generations of writers.
This 1960s Hanna-Barbera TV show featured a mystery-solving group traveling in a van called the Mystery Machine.
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
Scooby-Doo became a cultural icon and inspired dozens of spin-offs and movies.
This 1975 computer, often called the first widely available personal computer, was sold as a kit for hobbyists.
Altair 8800
The Altair inspired Bill Gates and Paul Allen to create Microsoft’s first software.
This 1968 film by George A. Romero is often credited with creating the modern zombie genre.
Night of the Living Dead
The film was made on a very low budget and became a cult classic for its social commentary and horror.
This American linguist, famous for his work on transformational grammar, published Syntactic Structures in 1957.
Noam Chomsky
Chomsky revolutionized linguistics and introduced the idea that humans are born with an innate language ability.
This Russian-American author wrote The Master and Margarita, a satirical novel banned in the USSR until 1966.
Mikhail Bulgakov
Bulgakov completed the novel in the 1930s, but it was first published posthumously.
This mischievous cat is always plotting against a little mouse and is often caught exclaiming frustration without words, in classic silent comedy style.
Tom (from Tom & Jerry)
Tom & Jerry debuted in 1940 and won seven Academy Awards for animated short films.
Introduced in 1977, these small, programmable computers helped popularize home computing.
Apple II, Commodore PET, or TRS-80
The Apple II was one of the first computers to use color graphics and an open architecture.
This eerie, foggy phenomenon is often seen in swamps or graveyards and has inspired countless spooky legends and ghost stories.
Will-o’-the-wisp
Will-o’-the-wisps are mysterious lights mentioned in folklore across Europe, thought to lead travelers astray at night.
This written script was developed in the 1920s–1930s by the Soviet Union to replace Arabic script for several Central Asian languages.
Cyrillic (or Latin-to-Cyrillic script reform)
The script reform was part of a push to modernize and unify written communication in the USSR.
This author, famous for the science fiction novel Fahrenheit 451, explored themes of censorship and technology in society.
Ray Bradbury
Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 was inspired by a combination of fears about book burnings, the rise of mass media like television, and the oppressive political climate of the 1950s, particularly the McCarthy era
This 1981 animated short featured a magical, dancing pencil that comes to life in a famous Disney experiment in blending animation and music.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice segment from Fantasia
Though Fantasia premiered in 1940, Disney frequently re-released it, keeping it influential through the 1980s for animation and orchestral music fans.
Released in 1981, this computer became a business standard and led to a wave of compatible machines from other companies.
IBM Personal Computer (IBM PC)
The IBM PC’s open architecture allowed other companies to create software and hardware that worked with it, helping define the modern PC market.
This 1978 horror movie features a small town terrorized by a giant shark.
Jaws
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Jaws is often credited with inventing the summer blockbuster.