Many people think of computers as relatively recent inventions that only came into existence within the past century. In many ways, they're right—the devices we recognize as computers are fairly new. However, computing—or making a calculation—has existed for far longer than that. Ancient civilizations depended on computing to better understand the cosmos and the world around them, and as early as the 19th century machines were used to assist in computing. This volume looks at many of the important advancements in the history of computers, including the shift from human computing to mechanical computers and mechanical computers to digital ones, the development of computer programming and the internet, and potential next steps in the advancement of computers.