List maps 'golden age' of science

The moon landing was 1969's top breakthrough

TV dinners, cloned sheep, non-stick saucepans and space stations have all made the grade in terms of the greatest scientific achievements of the past 50 years.

Scientists at Thinktank, Birmingham's museum of science and discovery, have put their heads together to come up with a scientific breakthrough for each year the Queen has been on the throne.

The list covers everything from the first fare-paying passengers in a jet airliner in 1952 right through to the cutting-edge Iris security scanner in 2002.

It was drawn up as part of a new exhibition at the museum, entitled Jet Age to Genome, which opened on Saturday.

Some of those facts

1955: Non-stick saucepan

1957: Animal in space

1964: Home dialysis

1969: First man on Moon

1975: Home computer

1977: Space shuttle launch

1978: First IVF baby

1986: Laptop computer

1997: Dolly the sheep clone

A panel of local and national scientists put forward suggestions to map out the golden age of scientific achievement.

Ruth Gill, director of content and programmes at the museum, said: "The past 50 years have been the most breathtaking in history in terms of technological breakthroughs that impact on all our lives.

"The first passenger jet flew in 1952 and now we have space tourists.

"The police first used identikits in 1959 and now we have DNA profiling.

"The first pacemaker was fitted in 1960 and now we have a Birmingham man with an artificial heart.

"Everyone will have their own ideas. It will be interesting to see what people make of our selections."

The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh got a sneak preview of the exhibition when they visited Birmingham during the Golden Jubilee tour earlier in July.