By the Numbers in 1912
World Population
—
UK Life Expectancy
48.8 years
US Life Expectancy
49.6 years
Gold Price (per oz)
$20.65
Dow Jones Index
86
US National Debt
—
Sovereign Nations
52
How Much Did Things Cost in 1912?
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £265 | $3,300 |
| Average salary | £73 | $590 |
| Pint of milk | 2d | 7¢ |
| Loaf of bread | 2½d | 6¢ |
| Dozen eggs | 1s 2d | 34¢ |
| Pint of beer | 2d | 5¢ |
Technology and Inventions in 1912
The age of the ocean liner reached its zenith — and its most dramatic failure. The diesel engine was spreading to ships and factories. Stainless steel was being developed. Wireless telegraphy, which played a crucial role in the Titanic rescue, was increasingly seen as essential for maritime safety.
- ● The Titanic's distress calls demonstrated the life-saving potential of wireless telegraphy
- ● The first parachute jump from an aeroplane by Captain Albert Berry
- ● Continental drift theory proposed by Alfred Wegener
- ● The first successful motorised film camera (Bell & Howell 2709) entered wide use
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