What if the most important invention of the 20th century was a complete accident? In 1947, three scientists at Bell Labs were just trying to improve telephone systems. They had no idea they were about to trigger the digital revolution and create the foundation for our modern world.

Join me on this episode of the Hoodie History Podcast as I explore the incredible story of the transistor. We'll go back to the age of massive, room-sized computers and unreliable vacuum tubes to see the problem that needed solving. I’ll introduce you to the brilliant, and sometimes clashing, minds of John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley, the scientists who stumbled upon an invention that would change everything.

This isn't just a story about a tiny electronic switch. It's the story of how our world was built. From a crude laboratory prototype to the silicon microchips in your smartphone, we'll trace the journey of the transistor and uncover how it led to personal computers, the internet, and the interconnected digital age we live in. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a history buff, or just curious about how our world works, this episode reveals the accidental origin of the technology that powers your life.

You can check out more fascinating stories from history on my Hoodie History YouTube channel. I also have a Hoodie History Shorts YouTube channel with punchy stories from history and a Hoodie History TikTok and Instagram account.