Animation by Allison Quick, written by Stacey Wilson and Liana Blum

Fifty years ago on May 9, 1960, the birth control pill for women was introduced to the American public. What better way to celebrate the …

Your mom wants to friend you. So does your grandma. Welcome to the new generation of Facebook. While the popular website originally flourished with young people, it’s starting to look more like an AARP convention. In fact, the fastest growing demographic for Facebook is now the 50-and-older set. The average age for its users is 38.4. It’s easier for Gen X-ers and Baby Boomers to reconnect with old friends.

When Matt Bunting started his class project last spring, he just wanted a good grade. He got an A, but he also scored an opportunity to research computer engineering with his professor, job offers, and free equipment from top companies like Intel.He got all this because Bunting, a senior electrical engineering major at the University of Arizona, built a six-legged robot that could teach itself to walk.

This slogan for a new social media device, the MingleStick, is just as simple and straightforward as the gadget itself. “The MingleStick is a digital business card with an online rolodex,” says Anthony Capizzano, executive of VP sales and partner relations for Mingle360. Whether or not the MingleStick stands the test of time, it’s certain that professionals in the digital age are in the market for the simple and efficient.

Today’s geeks work hard to bring us cures for diseases, modes of transportation that save on fossil fuel, and other do-good things. But every once in a while, an invention comes along that just doesn’t have a point. These inventions still require superior smarts and technical savvy, no matter how puzzling they might be. Here are five examples of this nerdy conundrum.

In January, Apple introduced what Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple, called a “truly magical and revolutionary product.” Touted as an item “better than the laptop and better than a cell phone,” the iPad is quickly becoming a very popular gadget. As always with new, must-have products, speculation ran rampant through various blogs and websites about how the iPad may save—or kill—modern journalism.

If you’re looking for an online outlet to help you save, look no further—West Des Moines-based SmartyPig.com does just that. The company’s founder came up with the idea to incorporate a social aspect with saving money via the Web in January 2007; the site launched in April 2008. “We’re changing people’s lives and how they save money,” Ferrari says.

After Haiti was struck by an earthquake on January 12, millions of people used technology to raise awareness, show support, and contribute to relief efforts. Technology even served as a lifeline, offering victims a way to plea for help or alert others of their whereabouts. These innovative tools sparked activism in the wake of tragedy.