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ALARMING FREQUENCY: In 1888, a German professor
named Heinrich Hertz proved the existence of radio waves, paving the way for a
new era in communication. Researchers eventually
discovered that radio waves could also be used to detect objects from a distance,
and in 1935 England's Robert Watson-Watt (above) demonstrated this technology
by detecting a British bomber. Shortly thereafter, a network of radar stations
was constructed along England's south and west coasts, an early-detection system
that proved to be a deciding factor in England's victory over the Nazis in the
Battle of Britain. Decades later, the United States
would rely on a similar strategy to detect enemy aircraft. As the Cold War simmered
and Americans contemplated the threat of longe-range Soviet bombers, the Navy
deployed a fleet of radar picket ships, the YAGR, which monitored the East and
West Coasts for signs of attack. To learn about
the radar picket ship exhibit at Battleship Cove, click here. | 
