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Experts are predicting that World War III could bring back one particular and extremely unlikely piece of tech.
Fears around the possibility of a third World War have been swirling as global unrest continues to intensify.
And while no one knows for sure what World War III would look like, there is one familiar piece of technology that we might end up relying on.
Despite the advancement in tech over the last few decades, including innovations of smartphones and AI, there is one vintage device that seems to never go out of fashion.
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The radio was first invented back in 1895 but it’s still as useful as ever 129 years later.
Speaking to Metro, Dr Colin Alexander, who is a senior lecturer in political communications at Nottingham Trent University, said: “Crises can take many forms, however, radio remains the go-to medium of communication in these moments.”
While our phones, TVs and computers are vulnerable to their connection being tampered with, during wars, it is often the radio that people use to get their information from.
This has been the case in Ukraine where Kyiv’s TV tower was toppled and signals were blocked by Russian forces.
As a result Ukrainians living in occupied territories found themselves listening to the radio during information blackouts.
The same can be said for Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip, who have been subject to information blackouts with the Israeli government targeting Palestinian telecommunication services.
Without the use of the internet or a phone signal, Palestinians have also been turning to the radio to get information from.
Also speaking to Metro, the director of defence and space programmes at the satellite communication provider NSSLGlobal said: “When one connection fails, another kicks in.
“The war in Ukraine, with its heavy use of drones, sensors and dispersed, relatively small teams of soldiers, has reinforced the lesson that having easily accessible diverse connectivity and the ability to use satellites is vital.”
“Television and other visual media are more associated with entertainment,” added Dr Alexander.
“In short, you have to listen attentively to the radio, but with television, you mainly watch the images and let the narrative wash over you without as much attention.
“Whether radio saves lives or encourages more death is open to debate. There is nothing about radio that is inherently peaceful.”
He went on to say: “Doing a radio show is a privilege as people welcome you into their lives in a way that Netflix or TikTok cannot touch.
“It’s a personal conversation and pep talk that gets more and more crucial as daily life gets increasingly stressful.”
