LASER - Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation
The word “laser” began as a scientific acronym describing the physical process used to produce the light beam.
RADAR - Radio detection and ranging
It’s widely used in aviation, shipping, weather tracking and speed detection.
SONAR - Sound navigation and ranging
Sonar works in a similar way to radar but uses sound waves instead of radio waves.
SCUBA - Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus
Like radar and laser, the acronym eventually became the everyday word people use.
TASER - Thomas A. Swift’s electric rifle
This one has an unusual origin. The inventor of the device named it after a fictional weapon from a science-fiction novel called Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle. The acronym was taken from the book’s title.
CAPTCHA - Completely automated public Turing test to tell computers and humans apart
It’s the little test that asks you to identify traffic lights, read distorted letters or click specific images. Its purpose is to confirm that the user is a human rather than an automated bot.
JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group
JPEG is one of the most common image file formats used for digital photos. The name comes from the international committee that developed the compression standard used to store photographic images.
RAM - Random access memory
RAM is the short-term memory used by computers, phones and tablets to run programs and perform tasks.
ROM - Read-only memory
ROM is a type of memory that stores essential instructions for a device. Unlike RAM, the information stored in ROM does not disappear when the device is turned off.
LAN - Local area network
A LAN is a network that connects devices within a limited area, such as a home, office or school. Computers, printers and other devices share data and internet access through the network.
WAN - Wide area network
A WAN covers a much larger area than a LAN. The internet itself is the largest example of a wide area network, linking computers and networks around the world.
