The year 1957, which gave us Sputnik I, also gave us the birth of Fairchild Semiconductor in Palo Alto, Calif.

FORBES: The Enemy Beneath

Then came a shock and blow to American pride: Sputnik I.

FORBES: Digital Rules: Election '98 -- A Long View

The apogee of central planning occurred in 1957, when the greatest central planner of them all, the Soviet Union, suddenly burst ahead in the space (and technology) race with Sputnik I.

FORBES: Digital Rules

The success of Sputnik I shocked Americans.

FORBES: The Enemy Beneath

As the daughter of a factory worker, I benefited from academic scholarships that the development of Sputnik prompted.

ECONOMIST: Marxist thought

" Mr. Kaku has spent his life trying to fill the void: "I want to inspire young kids to have their 'Sputnik moment.

WSJ: The Weekend Interview with Michio Kaku: Captain Michio and the World of Tomorrow

And I was right, at least in the relatively short term, just a few years off from Sputnik.

NEWYORKER: Olds Rocket 88, 1950