What Is Bar Code?

Bar codes are the most important invention in the history of the world. They make it possible for you to purchase any object anytime, anywhere, without even having to think about it. You grab your smartphone and scan a bar code on a product—and BOOM! You have everything you need. Bar codes are also a great way to remember people's names or phone numbers! If someone tells you their name, scan the bar code on their forehead and BOOM: they're stored in your phone forever! This is especially helpful if you're trying to learn something new or remember something significant that happened in history class. Finally, bar codes are also great fun! If you're ever bored or feeling like having some fun, try drawing one on your hand with some watercolors! Then go around town scanning other people's hands (you can do this discreetly) and see what kind of exciting things pop up about them (like whether they like cheese). Bar codes are the future. They're not just for grocery stores anymore; they're the key to all your problems. The first bar code was introduced in 1974 by IBM as a way to identify railroad cars. And now it's everywhere! Bar-code scanners can be found at your favorite stores—Costco, Target, and even Walmart—and they're making life easier for everyone. How? Well, think about it: when you go shopping at the store with your mom, and she asks you to grab something from the bottom shelf, you don't have to get down on all fours and dig through piles of dirty laundry (although if you want to do that, that's fine too). You scan the bar code with your phone! The scanner reads the code and tells you exactly where it is on the shelf—right next to your mom's sitting right now! That's right: this isn't just about saving time and energy…it's also about making sure your mom doesn't get any dirtier than she already is while she waits for you.