The biggest contributors are the invention of radios and capacitor circuits. Then when making the calculator, people started to realize we could use computing devices to speed up calculating everything. With the desire to make things bigger and better, computers become very powerful. Now that every type of technology uses computers to come up with calculations that would take people years to get to, technology just keeps progressing faster because of... wanting to still make things faster and better.
That and war. When there is a war funds go into developing better ways to win. After a war is over, some companies find ways to apply it to the private sector to make more money.

well dont worry with that big atom smasher that was built we are all going down in the black hole it will create..........lol just kidding :)

I'd say that part of it has been because of the decrease of hours your avg. worker works per week. With more free time, workers have the opportunity to ask, "why" and manufacturers have been there to answer with dedicated products.

Both of my children are part of stem cell research. When they were born we had the doctors take and save 4-5 cylenders ( not sure on the size , but the same as if you were haveing your blood taken) and some of the embilical core. These are in a Stem Cell Bank which can be used later in life if anyone in our family needs them.

They are7 and 6 now ,so it's been going on for awhile here in Canada. i don't see the problem with it.