news Leo Beranek, Acoustics Designer and Internet Pioneer, Dies at 102

[Kate]

Leo Beranek, Acoustics Designer and Internet Pioneer, Dies at 102

Leo L. Beranek, an engineer whose company designed the acoustics for the United Nations and concert halls at Lincoln Center and Tanglewood, then built the direct precursor to the internet under contract to the Defense Department, died on Oct. 10 at his home in Westwood, Mass. He was 102.

His death was confirmed by his son James.

Dr. Beranek taught acoustic engineering at Harvard and M.I.T. for more than three decades after World War II, conducting research there that laid the groundwork for acoustic advances with wide social impact, including noise standards for public buildings and airports. But one of his most notable achievements was well outside the field of acoustics.

In 1969, the company he helped found, Bolt, Beranek & Newman (BBN Technologies), won a contract from the Defense Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency to build the first computer-based network, which came to be called Arpanet...

Source [NYT] Leo Beranek, Acoustics Designer and Internet Pioneer, Dies at 102

PS: BBN Technologies owns BBN.com and is the second oldest .com registered (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_oldest_currently_registered_Internet_domain_names)

 

[168]

Thanks for sharing Great story!

a Cadillac with a flat tire,

A seemingly insignificant event that paved his future contributions to a monumental evolution on the planet.
Rest in Peace Leo.