Most Important Invention?

The airplane changed the world forever good and bad.

 

H. L. Mencken nominated the thermostat.

I think in this century, it's the computer. Think about what would happen now, if we didn't have them.

 

Electrical power generation.

 

Microwave popcorn, LOL! It changed the way busy offices all over the world "do lunch."

 

Gutenberg's printing press.

 

The printing press was invented before 1500 A.D. Dr. Bob Griffin wanted an invention after 1500 A.D.

 

He said "about AD1500"

 

The most life changing invention since the printing press, my vote is on the personal computer.

So now we can say, "It's the best thing since the Commadore 64"

Rob

 

"It's the best thing since the Commadore 64"



Al Gore's invention, the internet!

 

I'd have to go with...

the printing press.

Clay

 

I think the most important is intermittant windshield wipers.

 

Ok, the year was 1440 so I guess that is about 1500.

 

When one is in the dark, one realizes how slowly time passes. I will go along with electricity. Time flies when you are not waiting for knocked out electricity to be restored.

Cheers,

Jim

Just try to think of all the inventions in just my lifetime since 1927...it will swamp your mind!

 

Way cool question. WAY COOL!

Now I wish I had an answer...

Um, my vote is for the printing press. It accelerated learning and knowledge by a hundredfold. All the other advancements in science (steam engine, radio, etc.) would have been extremely hard to do, had they not been preceded by the dissemination of knowledge via printing.

ACK! So the printing press doesn't count, because it came before 1500?

Fine.

My other vote, then, would be the steam engine. While we don't use it much nowadays, at the time it was invented it changed the economies of Europe, opened up the American West, laid railways through India, and signaled the end of sailing ships. Steam power.

 

Nuclear warfare.
We can live without computers. We survived without electricity. We didn't need airplanes to wage war.
All of those things make life easier, but just the possibility of nuclear warfare changes the way everyone in the world thinks and behaves.
Then again, would it have been invented and used without electricity, computers, and airplanes?
Gina

 

I'll go with the television. Why you ask. Many many people no longer interact with others. Now all they do is sit at home and watch the TV. Children don't exercise, they sit in front of the TV. We don't have to hire babysitters anymore, because we either don't go out or we use the TV as the babysitter.

All that said I have the TV on as background noise as I sit here at the computer. I guess I am guilty too.

Bill

 

Ditto! it's a great invention we take for granted. The flush toilet, where would the world go without it?

Rob