US programmer Ray Tomlinson discovered that electronic messages could be sent from one network to another in 1971. Part of his innovation and invention included the use of the @ symbol in email addresses.

It is thought that the first email was sent by Tomlinson during his time as an engineer in Boston at a research company called Bolt, Beranek and Newman.

While this was a monumental moment in the history of the internet, Tomlinson later said he couldn’t remember the content of the first email, saying it was “completely forgettable”.

More than 200 billion emails are sent everyday and it has become a vital tool for work and personal communication in today's world.  

Ray Tomlinson was celebrated by his peers when he was inducted into the "Internet Hall of Fame" in 2012.

Tomlinson passed away on Saturday aged 74.