The History of the Emoji

Emojis are now a completely natural part of our communication. A little face, a heart, or a symbol can change how a message is understood. But the story behind them doesn't begin with smartphones and social media; it goes back more than 100 years, all the way to Austria.

This article tells the surprisingly international history of the emoji: from the Viennese philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, to the American smiley inventor Harvey Ball, to the Japanese designer Shigetaka Kurita. A look at small symbols with a big impact.