MP3 format

Pack your favourite T-shirt, bikini and 800 music tracks: thanks to the MP3 format, it is possible these days to take your entire music collection with you on holiday. By eliminating all the frequencies which the human ear cannot hear, MP3 reduces the data volume to a twelfth of its original size.

In 1987, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute succeeded for the first time in compressing audio files to MP3 format. Initially conceived as a way of improving the quality of telephone calls, the new invention soon revolutionized the entire music industry thanks to the Internet. Despite abuse by illegal swap shops, the new technology continued to be developed to enrich our everyday lives with its multi-channel capabilities and even greater volume reduction. Players with a memory function also allow compressed music to be enjoyed on the move.

Significance: many different industries now take advantage of MP3 format. Besides allowing music to be distributed, MP3 is used for digital satellite radio communications.

Invented by: Fraunhofer Institute
In: 1987