I'm sure there were periods of huge advancement in prior times on earth. But, in my short stay on this planet - Geez! DNA research, cellphones & super fast computers, car mufflers that don't rust out every 2 years, LEDs, hi-def everything, GPS, electric cars, super glue, "smart" everything, not writing checks ... & from a field of mine -
Joe Meek, producer and writer (although with some controversy for the latter) of Telstar, was a great innovator using the technology of his time.
Meek was a contemporary of Phil Spector who made Spector's life seem tame... A biopic is on some streaming services and is available on youtube: Telstar - The Joe Meek Story.
Joe with some thechnolgy that fits the video Andy posted:
Regarding Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, does anyone remember Ferrante and Teicher, "The Forgotten Gids of Easy Listening"? Before Joe Meek brought us his take on space (I Hear A New World preceded Telstar but did not see full release for ~ 30 years), they recorded music of John Cage (really) in space-themed "Soundproof".