How often do we take things for granted? How about this screen you're looking at? Right now? Do you know how it came about?
In 1970 the MoD commissioned George Gray at the University of Hull to work on a way to make LCDs function at more pleasant (and useful) temperatures. He did just that when he invented a molecule known as 5CB. By the early 1980s, 90% of the LCD devices in the world contained 5CB, and you’ll still find it in the likes of cheap watches and calculators. Meanwhile derivatives of 5CB make the phones, computers and TVs of today possible.
Read the full story @ 5 Chemistry Breakthroughs That Shaped Our Modern World