when was sonar invented

Sonar, which stands for Sound Navigation and Ranging, was first developed as a practical device by Lewis Nixon in 1906. Nixon, a naval architect, invented an early sonar-like device primarily aimed at detecting icebergs underwater to help ships navigate safely. This invention was significant especially in light of maritime disasters such as the Titanic sinking in 1912, which emphasized the importance of underwater detection technology. The technology advanced further during World War I, where the increasing threat of submarines prompted heavy research into sonar for submarine detection. In 1915, the French physicist Paul Langevin, working with a Russian engineer Constantin Chilowsky, developed the first active sonar device to detect submarines. Thus, the invention and initial practical use of sonar technology began in 1906 with Lewis Nixon's device, followed by more sophisticated developments during and after World War I.