GUGLIELMO MARCONI (1874-1937): Born in Bologna; Died in Rome.

This chapter profiles Guglielmo Marconi, or William Marconi, an Italian American who should perhaps be considered the father of the Age of Communication. In 1896, he built the first wireless transmitter. He modified this instrument so that in the following year he was able to transmit coded messages back and forth between France and England. In 1901, he transmitted in code between England and the United States; and in 1903; the London Times was receiving coded messages from the United States for its daily news coverage. Marconi's fame was established, and he received the Nobel Prize in 1909. One year after he received the Nobel Prize, Marconi established communication networks between Europe and South America. Finally, in 1927, he succeeded in transmitting the human voice, itself: two people--one in England and one in Australia--spoke to each other by means of Marconi's radio transmitting system.