The Best Invention of All Time?

Originally posted by iCEdTenG
What do you believe to be the best invention of all time?

[edit on 27-5-2006 by iCEdTenG]

the lens.

you can use it to magnify images of a virus cell in a microscope, and discover antibiotics to treat it (comes in handy !) or magnify images of the stars and map the heavens.

.02

Written word, Gutenberg press, Steam Engine, Electricity, Telephone, Recorded audio and Video camera perhaps

I think it's the screw.

Humanity has been screwed ever since!

Sometimes things get so screwed up though it's hard to unwind.

If those politicians in Washington, DC don't stop screwing around there won't be a world left to invent in and nobody to create new inventions.

........very simple. The best invention of all time is the man-made shelter. It keeps us warm/cool and dry, away from the rain. People living in Norway and Antarctica would definitely agree.

I agree with the Duct Tape theory.... I remember once at work for a laugh... we taped this guy to the wall with duct tape... Tha manager came in there was this 5"2 guy strapped 2 feet about ground level to the wall yelling... help they did it again... Good time Good times...

i was gonna be all scientific about this and say the throwing spear

as without this homo erectus would not have evolved as a species capable of conquering the prehistoric world,including neanderthaal,s more powerful physique, from a safer more survivable distance...

but then i thought. naaaaaaaa..

i,m gonna give in to my natural urges and go for the g-string bikini

How about the fence? It totaly eleviated mans necessity to hunt for food.

Lol or takeaways.

gives you an excuse not to hunt or even cook

I would have to say paper or coined money. Without it there would probably be no war or famine. It is the single invention that pushed man to what we are today. If we had just stuck with the barter system, things would probably be much simpler.

Not really, I dont think civilisation would have gone far trading without money. How would things like doctors or scientists have come about? One goat per checkup? Perhaps it would work for a while until he had enough to start a farm.
I wonder how many turnips you would need to trade for a car?

I think i misread your post, were you saying that money was good or bad? the comment about war and famine confused me

Toilet Paper

Without it I really wouldn't want to live.

Is fire an invention or discovery?

I suppose someone would have had to eventually invent a way of making it portable and convenient. Flint and kindling perhaps?

1) I would have thought that fire meant that ancient man could live longer in less hospitable places that were cold.

2) It would keep some wild animals away (and attract others I suppose:lol.

3) Meant that some less palatable meat and perhaps vegetables were made edible.
Cooked food, especially meat, tends to go off less quick and it kills some of the bacteria on it anyway.

4) The light from fire allowed the artificial lengthening of the working day, free time. This allowed time away from the threats of the outside world, perhaps allowing creativity. Leading to art (oh lord what have they done?) and perhaps a closer society (within a cave for example people would have had to live close to each other. Without the threats of nature they would not have to be "on guard" from predators and this allowed better interaction, maybe leading to primitive language skills).

5) The possibility that other discoveries were made. "Herbal" smoke reactions and metalurgy.

Bit speculative some of this I know.

Upside down Heinz tomato ketchup bottles...

By far...Simply Amazing...


Mic

FIRE!!!

Not the "discovery" of fire but rather what ever the first invention was that allowed man to make fire when ever he wanted. Before then man could only use fire he was able to steal from a natural source lighting strikes etc.. Which wouldnt be very handy

That IMHO started the ball of humanity rolling. It gave us heat, light, cooked food (easier to eat) and protection. It elevated man beyond all other animals in almost a god like way.

[edit on 28-5-2006 by ShadowXIX]

the toilet pippings of course...i wouldn't want to be stuck throwing our crap out of our windows like they did in Shakespearian times

Ah good old bathroom tech

Its sad that we went from rather decent bathroom tech in the Greek/Roman eras to the dark ages of bathroom tech in the middle ages.

A huge step backwards

BEER!!! 'Nuf said lol

Sanitation and Refrigeration are what truely seperate us from animals.

Without these two things, we'd be eating food the same day we purhcased it at the market, and plenty of diseases would still be killing many many people.

I am rather fond of Al Gore's Internet, but to tell the truth, I have to say that it is, in my opinion, the written word.