By the Numbers in 1947
World Population
—
UK Life Expectancy
53.1 years
US Life Expectancy
54.4 years
Gold Price (per oz)
$35
Dow Jones Index
198
US National Debt
—
Sovereign Nations
58
How Much Did Things Cost in 1947?
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £750 | $5,600 |
| Average salary | £300 | $2,600 |
| Pint of milk | 3d | $0.18 |
| Loaf of bread | 5d | $0.12 |
| Dozen eggs | 2s 2d | $0.70 |
| Pint of beer | 9d | $0.20 |
| Cinema ticket | 1s 1d | $0.36 |
Technology and Inventions in 1947
The transistor was invented at Bell Labs, one of the most significant technological breakthroughs of the century. The first commercial microwave oven, the Radarange, was sold. Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier. Polaroid demonstrated the instant camera.
- ● Transistor invented by Bardeen, Brattain, and Shockley at Bell Labs
- ● Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1 aircraft
- ● Raytheon introduced the first commercial microwave oven, the Radarange
- ● Edwin Land demonstrated the Polaroid instant camera
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