What Color Was His Tooth?!

Have you ever heard of Bluetooth devices?  If you haven't, you will---Bluetooth devices are becoming increasingly common in today's digital universe.  Bluetooth devices allow people to work without wires! 

Bluetooth technology is what's behind those fancy earpieces that people wear so that they don't have to hold their cell phones.  It's also becoming more and more common with computers---If you have a Bluetooth enabled computer, you can communicate with other devices without cords.  Eventually, almost everything that is currently connected by cord will probably run wirelessly with Bluetooth devices.

Cool, huh?

And Bluetooth technology is a Danish invention!  You see, the Danes have done a great job getting involved in the technology industry, knowing that digital inventions and corporations tend to make more money in today's world than any other source of funds.  One of the fastest growing sectors of the Danish economy is small technology companies like Bluetooth.

But what makes Bluetooth even more interesting is that the company is named after a Danish king named Harald Bluetooth---and yes, he literally had a blue tooth!  Harald ruled Denmark from about 960 AD until about 990 AD.  (He was succeeded by a guy named Sweyn the Forkbeard!  How cool is that?) 

He's actually an important historical figure because he's the king that introduced Christianity to Denmark.  Before Bluetooth, the Danes were a polytheistic culture worshipping Viking Gods and Goddesses.  After Bluetooth, they were monotheistic like the majority of Europe.

Also interesting is that the Bluetooth logo is a Viking Rune--an ancient form of writing that can be found on Rune Stones throughout the Danish countryside.  These rune stones tend to tell about the history of the Viking period in Denmark----and archaeologists have spent hundreds of years studying Runes to learn more about Danish history.

Want to learn more about Bluetooth?  Then check out this video:

Click To Play

Can you think of any other inventions or companies that are named after Gods or Goddesses?  How about Kings or Queens?  Do you know what Nike means?

Leave us a comment to share your thinking and join us again soon on Get Lost!

Signed,

Bam Bam Bigelow

Image retrieved from http://www.macos.utah.edu/documentation/hardware/bluetooth/mainColumnParagraphs/00/image/bluetooth_logo2.png on September 16, 2007.