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History buffs will recall two significant events in the realm of 'technology': The first atomic bomb was detonated on July 16, 1945, at the Trinity test site in New Mexico. Meanwhile, the first interactive video game, Tennis For Two, made its debut on October 18, 1958, at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. What few know is that the most devastating weapon in human history and the interactive entertainment that has shaped generations share a common origin: William Higinbotham.
In 1958, American physicist William Higinbotham learned that the latest computer at Brookhaven, the Donner Model 30, could simulate ballistic trajectories by calculating wind resistance. Instead of creating an application for any civil or military purpose, Higinbotham decided to develop an entertainment application. Alongside fellow scientist Robert V. Dvorak, they spent three weeks creating software that simulated a tennis match, complete with green lines representing the ball's trajectory and the court layout in 2D on the computer's display.
However, it was Higinbotham who, 25 years before creating Tennis For Two, was one of the scientists involved in the Manhattan Project, responsible for developing electronic systems for atomic bombs, specifically ignition and measurement equipment for nuclear weapons, leading a group of scientists and physicists at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. After his firsthand experiences with nuclear weapons, William Higinbotham later became one of the founders of the Union of Concerned Scientists, an advocacy group calling for nuclear disarmament. To quote Kenneth Bainbridge upon witnessing the first atomic bomb detonate at Trinity: 'Now we are all sons of bitches,' describing the sight of the bomb exploding as 'a spectacle both vile and wonderful.'Finally, there is an excellent documentary by gaming historian Ahoy (Stuart Brown) that you can watch for free on YouTube, detailing how the nuclear arms race during the Cold War era spurred the rapid development of electronic games, one of the most beloved forms of entertainment today. From the technological advancements of semiconductor diodes to the very psyche of 'us versus them' creating a perfect platform for the gaming industry to flourish to this day.According to Kotaku
