Transistors, the building blocks of modern electronics, are typically made of silicon. Because it's a semiconductor, this material can control the flow of electricity in a circuit. But silicon has ...

On Oct. 3, 1950, three Bell Labs scientists received a patent for a "three-electrode circuit element" that would usher in the transistor age and the era of modern computing.

After decades of setting the pace for tech and innovation, the U.S. is at risk of surrendering its lead in the race that will define the future.