Survey Historical Innovations in Technology
Trace innovations in technology: engineering memberships, photography advancements, railway construction, silk production, and monitoring changes to the earth’s surface.
Romanian Industry (1940-02) by Margaret Bourke-WhiteLIFE Photo Collection
Historic Innovations in Technology
Historic innovations in technology covers the invention of tools and techniques to transform and explore environments. Technological change is a force for economic growth and societal change, which also affects social and cultural traditions. New knowledge acquired over time empowers people to reshape and improve their worlds.
I K Brunel Candidate's Circular (19th century) by The Institution of Civil EngineersUNESCO Memory of the World
Candidates Circulars
The Institution of Civil Engineers is the world's oldest professional engineering body. Its global membership has transformed the world since 1818. The Candidates Circulars are membership application certificates which provide a unique biographical record of engineers.
Candidates' Circular volumes medium (19th century) by The Institution of Civil EngineersUNESCO Memory of the World
The Candidates Circulars chronicles the engineer’s role in shaping civilization and a provides socio-economic insight into their backgrounds. The certificates record personal contributions to what has become known as the Industrial Revolution and the infrastructure of the Modern World.
North Shore, Lavender Bay, Sydney Harbour and Fort Macquarie (19th century) by Bernhardt Holtermann and Charles BaylissUNESCO Memory of the World
Giant Glass Plate Negatives of Sydney Harbour
Three giant glass plate negatives – measuring 1.35 x 0.94 meters (53” x 37”) – are understood to be the world’s largest 19th century wet-process negatives. These images record the view of Sydney Harbour in 1875, documenting the future site of the UNESCO world-heritage listed Sydney Opera House. Bernhardt Holterman was determined to promote his adopted home to the world through photography.
With Charles Bayliss they designed a 23-meter (87 foot) high purpose-built tower, turning the 3 meter-square (10 foot) room at the top into a giant camera. There, they created a series of colossal wet-process negatives capturing one of the world’s greatest harbours in photographs bigger than had been ever thought possible, and toured them around the globe.
Holtermann Glass Plate SLNSW (19th century) by Bernhardt Holtermann and Charles BaylissUNESCO Memory of the World
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Sydney Opera House, Sydney NSW, Australia
Semmering panorama ("Panorama des Semmerings)" Detail 5 (1855) by Imre BenkertUNESCO Memory of the World
Semmering Railway
The Semmering Railway is a topographically challenging section of what is known as the Sudbahn or southern railway line. It made it possible to travel in comfort by rail from Vienna and reach the eastern foothills of the Alps in Austria in only two hours. It’s one of the world's first mountain railways.
Semmering 19UNESCO Memory of the World
The Documents on the Semmering Railway, from 1844-1910, detail the evolution of a major construction site and how the railway line’s, viaducts, and tunnels were built using engineering resources. They show technical innovations in the 19th century and the awareness that technical projects require meticulous documentation.
Zhuangduan preserved with technical records (1963)UNESCO Memory of the World
Archives of Suzhou Silk from Modern and Contemporary Times
The Archives of Suzhou Silk from Modern and Contemporary Times cover technical research, production management, trading and marketing, and the foreign exchange of many Suzhou silk enterprises and organizations from the 19th century to the end of 20th century. They contain a large number of export trade certifications and pattern designs, along with silk samples with high preservation value.
Fragment of Song Brocade (1368)UNESCO Memory of the World
These Archives have witnessed the change of Chinese silk industry from traditional workshop to industrial production; which reflect the East-West trade exchanges and culture changes of more than a century. The historical and international significance of the archives also echoes with the current exchanges between countries along the route of “Belt and Road” initiative.
Promotional video of The Archives of Suzhou Silk from Modern and Contemporary Times (19th-20th centuries)UNESCO Memory of the World
Palmyra (21st century) by United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)UNESCO Memory of the World
Landsat Program Records
The Landsat Program Records are recognized by scientists as the only accurate image record, spanning nearly four decades, of the Earth’s land surfaces, coastlines, and reefs at a scale revealing both natural and human-induced change in existence to users in over 180 countries.
Mezen Mixing (21st century) by United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)UNESCO Memory of the World
The Records are obtained and continuously updated by sensors onboard a series of land-imaging satellites, since 1972. The data is critical to the discovery, monitoring, and understanding of changes to the Earth’s surface caused by climate, human impact, and natural disasters.
Archive, Institution of Civil Engineers
State Library of New South Wales
The Holtermann Collection
Imperial & Royal Historical Museum of Austrian Railways
Suzhou Industrial and Commercial Archives Administration
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
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