The Greatest Invention Ever!

Zero.

Yes, Zero is an invention.

I'd say Music.

Wether it be a certain instrument or the first vinyl etc. Theres so much adavancment in music technology with mixing, and recording, that I'd say it was pretty incredible. And instruments are only getting more complex as people invent new ways to play and and invent new gadgets to explore with.

DC Motors. Many many uses, you can use a solar panel or home made solar collector to power it up and power up that electron microsope or anything else you have.

The next great invention Transformers of all kinds.

reply to post by tyranny22


Easy - the thermos flask.

It keep cold things cold, and hot things hot...

...but how does it know!??!

Sliced bread. Without it, we would not have a yardstick to measure the greatness of other inventions.

My answer woud be
*drumroll*

An Idea

Without the invention of an idea we would just be unintelligent creatures..or I might be wrong here!

Some of the inventions listed here really are just technological evolutions of earlier devices. The computer is an evolution of the abacus. The zip lighter is a candle wick etc.

As has already been mentioned writing and language aren't inventions. These are natural evolutionary products of the need communication in social groups. Maths as well, although rather more obliquely. Music similarly.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned ...tick tock..the clock. (although they may have by the time I've finished this post ).

I'm going to say the telescope. The knowledge it provided - that the earth wasn't the centre of the universe etc etc caused a huge shift culturally, socially, philosophically and scientifically. Nothing else in human history has come close to having the same impact. We'd live in a very different world without those discoveries.


Tim

reply to post by MAC269


I'm surprised the thread reached 5 pages before the steam engine was mentioned.

Also to my surprise, no one has yet mentioned the assembly line.

The greatest invention? society

Originally posted by VictorVonDoom

Originally posted by Romantic_Rebel
My choice is writing! With out writing we would of been no where in today's world. Books are awesome as well!

Just for fun I would like to share this link!
brainz.org...
SCIENCE!!!

Easter Island is a good example. We see the statues there, but because they had no written language, we don't know who made them, how, or why.

Sorry V.V.D but the people who made the statues DID leave written records ( see the Eric Von Daniken book Chariots of the Gods for photographic evidence) - the only problem is that the writing remains undisiphered to this day hence the reason we still have no idea who was there!

I watched a documentary yesterday based in certain slums of Indonesia. They used the river as their toilet and there was crap literally everywhere you looked. A lot of the children were very sick. It was awful. The very few that had a toilet were so grateful. To them having a toilet is a dream come true. I think a lot of us take advantage of the things we have.

I'm gonna go with sewage and sanitation, because without it we would be in a world of s**t.

im gonna have to go with fire. it really changed our lives and boosted our imaginations, let us live easier, cook better, fend off bugs/animals, and all in general separate us from the rest.

I'd have to say

CONDOMS

They have prevented many idiots from populating our already idiot-filled world... lol

Magnum

reply to post by tyranny22

I'd like to get some of your all's opinions on what you think is the greatest invention in the world.

full contact ATS.

oh .... wait. .... what year is this?


um .... time travel machine

oh ... wait .... what year is this?

disregard,
et

The Transistor. Which led to the 2nd greatest. The Microchip.

reply to post by tyranny22


Dear tyranny22

Yes people forget the steam engine but this was the beginning of our modern world. Before this all power was natural ie, wind or water. Or mussel.

The steam engine made power portable. So you could put your factory anywhere.

What most still do not know is that steam was first harnessed 300BC.

The industrial revolution could have started then.

Everyone forgot Agriculture.... Human History is the history of food supply.

Ramen noodles...15 cents a pack. They might be packed with sodium but they are the saving grace for poor/broke unemployed college students.

reply to post by static-override


That was a discovery not an invention.... Electricity has always been here, it was only that is what not discovered and made use untill more recently.

reply to post by IllusionofReality


Thats is kind of one of those riddles like ehat came first the chicken or the egg...

I mean, what came first the idea or the idea to create an idea???