Vacuum tubes were invented in 1904 by John Ambrose Fleming and were a basic component for electronics throughout the 20th century, enabling technologies like radio, television, radar, and computers. Vacuum tubes work by emitting electrons from a heated cathode through a vacuum and rely on the thermionic and photoelectric effects. Early vacuum tubes included diodes, which could rectify AC, and triodes, which were invented in 1907 by Lee de Forest and added a grid electrode to control current flow. While largely replaced by transistors, vacuum tubes are still used for high-power radio applications due to their efficiency and cost effectiveness.