It became known as 'the beep heard around the world." It's that sound you hear every time you're at the checkout stand.
The barcode - those parallel black lines found on practically everything - celebrates a birthday of sorts Saturday.
At a Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio on June 26th, 1974 a checkout clerk scanned a ten-pack of Wrigley's chewing gum adorned with the first-ever barcode.
At groceries stores across the country the days of manually putting price stickers on literally thousands of products were about to be gone for good !
It was the arguably the most significant technological advancement in retail up to that point...and some might say...ever!
Retailers now know instantly their best sellers, best product placement and when to change price.
There are privacy concerns, though. Barcodes track not just products but people. They're tracking when you go to a game or concert, when you ship something, when you board the plane. Even, when you're in the hospital.
Researchers are even putting tiny barcodes on bees to track their mating habits.
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