What are the greatest inventions in your lifetime?

Life has changed drastically for humans in the past 100 years. Medical,
communications, travel...can you even imagine living 100 years ago? Or
even 50 (well maybe some can).

What is the greatest invention you have seen in your own lifetime that
has made the biggest difference in your lifetime?

Tags: communication, great, invention, medical, travel

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stephen C Anderson on November 26, 2010 at 1:59pm

Well, my lifetime is getting shorter everyday which means I've been around a long time now (since 1954). I have been alive through the greatest time period of innovation in the history of man! Tough answer with so much to choose from, however, up until recently, I would have to say the computer technology expansion. I'm being chronological specific when I say this because TV, automobiles, telephone, and airplanes were already up and running. Now however, with my age and limitations beginning to creep in, I change my vote to Viagra!

Permalink Reply by Jana Arnold on November 26, 2010 at 3:13pm

Great answer! So second to Viagra is the computer?

Permalink Reply by David File on November 26, 2010 at 5:35pm

IN MY LIFETIME
The 24 foot header and the threshing rotor! Harvesting wheat was never so easy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combine_harvester

NOT IN MY LIFETIME
Believe or not...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylene
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxy-fuel_welding_and_cutting

Until it became a standard for welding metals everything was held together with rivets, bolts or brazed.
After its use began in the late 1900s the power factors went through the proverbial roof and along with the new antibiotics the human race literally became super-human.

Permalink Reply by Jana Arnold on November 26, 2010 at 6:50pm

Great point about antibiotics! Although I usually go for the natural remedy of "Apple Cider Vinegar" --- which works for may things, there is no doubt that antibiotics have increased the life expectancy of the human race.

The invention of the wheat harvester (and I was born in Kansas) and oxy-fuel welding are things I guess I take for granted. But we really shouldn't. I was shooting a commercial recently for a college and we shot some HD video of the welders at the last minute - I was amazed at the beautiful, colorful footage we got. It was some of the best of that shoot.

Permalink Reply by damir perge on November 26, 2010 at 7:54pm

Hi David. When I was ten years old, I've driven one of those Combine Harvesters for my grandfather. Yes, I would definitely say it is a powerful invention.

Another invention that I never thought anything about until I started reading the book Connections is the plow.

I've even tried using the plow with a horse just to see how hard it is to use when I was little boy in Yugoslavia. Hmm...I do prefer Combine Harvester over the plow. Much easier.

Permalink Reply by damir perge on November 26, 2010 at 7:56pm

Hi Steve. Viagra? Hmm...maybe Viagra should use you as the spokesperson.

Permalink Reply by damir perge on November 26, 2010 at 7:49pm

In my lifetime, I would say the invention of Internet | World Wide Web would definitely be some of the top inventions. The other would be complexity science -- if we want to consider this an invention, which I do. Of course, nanotechnology is up there too. I better stop right now or I could go on forever.

Permalink Reply by Shivaram on November 29, 2010 at 12:10pm

Zero '0' was the greatest Invention ...can you imagine the world without '0'. Aryabhata gave the world the digit "0" (zero) for which he became immortal. His book, the Aryabhatiya, presented astronomical and mathematical theories in which the Earth was taken to be spinning on its axis and the periods of the planets were given with respect to the sun (in other words, it was heliocentric).Aryabhata is the first of the great astronomers of the classical age of India.
As for as viagara is concerned, it's value is enhanced only with the text "Kamasutra" of Vatsyayana!!! - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kama_Sutra

Permalink Reply by Shivaram on November 29, 2010 at 12:52pm

In my lifetime I would say Laser is the greatest invention impacting Medical, Military and Scientific applications

Permalink Reply by Pat O'Hara on November 27, 2010 at 3:40am

Internet is the greatest invention of my lifetime.. no doubt! Viagra.. wow.. I guess I'll try it, Stephen!

Permalink Reply by Stephen C Anderson on November 29, 2010 at 1:03pm

I'm not saying I need Viagra mind you, but others have "stood tall" on their own reviews! ( just having fun here )
I guess, in all seriousness, the combination of Internet and computer advancement of connectivity, mobility, and memory has made our world as large as our office! I don't know how you top that as invention!

Permalink Reply by Stephen C Anderson on December 1, 2010 at 11:28pm

"The Internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn't understand, the largest experiment in anarchy that we have ever had." Eric Schmidt

Greatest invention? Probably!
Greatest weapon? Probably!