General Question

edmartin101's avatar

In your opinion, what has been the greatest invention ever? Why?

Asked by edmartin101 (776points) May 18th, 2008

There have been many inventions that have benefited humankind, but which would you say is at the top.

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

25 Answers

MrKnowItAll's avatar

The off button

Magnus's avatar

The Klein-bottle, seriously when has uselessness ever been so genius?

Spargett's avatar

There are two types of answers to the this questions so I’ll give you both.

- Agriculture (allowed us to become modern man)
– Antibiotics (allows us to not die from the biggest killer on earth)

breedmitch's avatar

Sliced bread.

marinelife's avatar

The taming of fire. Who wants to only eat raw food?

mcbealer's avatar

Polarfleece because it’s warm and cozy.

andrew's avatar

The Dyson vacuum.

Written language a distant second.

jcs007's avatar

THE WHEEL.

Imagine your life without a car. Or a bicycle. Or a shopping cart. Or gasp those rolly luggages.

AstroChuck's avatar

Sliced bread. Nuff sed.

AstroChuck's avatar

Man, I really have to read everything before putting in my .02 worth. Didn’t see breedmitch’s input before.

mirza's avatar

The Gutenberg press

elchoopanebre's avatar

The lightbulb. It totally changed the makeup of civilization and expanded the day’s hours where things can be done and people can be out.

AstroChuck's avatar

I agree with mirza. This standardized language and brought about an age of enlightenment.

boffin's avatar

Beer and or Whisky…..
Gosh, then we need to include refrigeration to keep the beer cold. Freezers to make ice for the Scotch…. Then there’s the need to store them in something, and drink them from…

buster's avatar

the toothbrush. people are much prettier post toothbrush era.

skfinkel's avatar

Social organization, ie. groups living together allowing all the members to survive.

delirium's avatar

The Number Zero.

LunaFemme's avatar

I’m going for a more recent invention that I have abdolutely fallen in love with, the Amazon Kindle. I think will completely change the printed book, especially text books.

edmartin101's avatar

Would anyone agree on “toilet paper”? Man we couldn’t live without it. How did people do it before it was available, newspapers maybe

jcs007's avatar

@edmartin101: leaves on a stick? or just the stick.

mcbealer's avatar

perhaps not the greatest, but certainly amazing is the Dyson Airblade

I had the pleasure of using one in a public restroom a few months ago: unbelievable

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