What is the most important invention in the past two thousand years?
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Yeco (
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July 2nd, 2008
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Moveable type printing press
Yes!!! 2000 lurve!
a lot of people seem to think sliced bread is pretty great.
Although it has not yet begun to fulfill its full potential, possibly the 21st century version of the Library at Alexandria, the Web, a giant, central repository of all knowledge.
Computers. Medicine is a big part, enabled us to expand our lifespans.
The web but with out the CPU there would be no web, so maybe the language that makes our digital world work.
I’m also gonna say the automatic gun. It changed warfare forever. No more arrows and clubs.
airplanes connected the world
My vote goes to the scientific method (if that’s an invention).
Cancer treatments. Look at how many people have been given a second chance in life.
I don’t know if they are the most important, but they should be: the dishwasher and the rear window defroster.
The dishwasher differently my life is so much easier by having one in the house.
Fluther
For reelz: arabic numerals, algebra, and calculus.
I would have to go with sanitation or irrigation. Although those might be older than 2000 yrs. Penicillin is another great invention.
Agh, I was going to say sliced bread! How unoriginal am I?
I have to second nikipedia here and say chemical fertilizer. Without it as many as 2 billion people would not be alive today.
Pasteurization or Rock and Roll.
Past 2000 years? Hmm, take your pick. However James Burke, British historian, would probably argue that with the invention of the Egyptian plough about 4,000 years ago, every other significant invention was made possible and flowed from that such as irrigation canals, the calendar, pen and ink, cutting tools, the loom etc.logically from that
I would have though Penicillin was the obvious choice. That and Skittles.
~ Oh and me obviously ~
The Holy Bible [God’s Word] inspired by God himself through his chosen ones.
True that bible was one hell of an invention alright.
Tee Hee. Yeah, I’m bad
Ha ha… invention. Seven is more correct then he thinks he is.
I’m going to go with antiseptic/antibiotics/sanitation.
Pizza and Beer
Okay…
Scotch too….
Wow, no one said the internet?
@shockvalue
Vectorul said the web
Chia Pet!
Definitely the Chia Pet right up there next to Hot Pockets.
hoooooooooot pockets!
ah, alright then, I choose gunpowder. Or perhaps the bow and arrow.
“Long ago, the bow and arrow was the ultimate technological achievement. It was used by Genghis Khan to forge an empire that stretched across Asia, from the wintry woods of Ukraine to the Eastern shores of Korea. Now, whoever holds the weapons manufactured by Stark Industries rules the world… and soon, it will be my turn. ”
Electricity wasn’t an invention it was a discovery. So in that sense, the incandescent bulb would be the most important invention.
… I think I change my answer? Blast it. The gunpowder that is.
Monty Python. No. That’s not it. Wait. Yes it is. It is? Yes. Indeed it is. Can’t be! Why not? Well, if you think about it I suppose it could be. Yes. It is. Monty Python. Thank you.
@Sueanne_Tremendous Very funny!!
The microwave oven, inspired by Science itself for its chosen ones. And I’m one of them, thank god.
Nobody mentioned the wheel…
Ahhh, yes. But does the question not say the last 2000 years”
The light bulb. By conquering darkness, we have been able to become an 24 hour industrial world.
Didn’t the discovery of fire do that for us?
@Eambos – Nope. Just kept us warm and cooked out food. You could read by firelight, kinda, Difficult to have an automobile factory running at 2am with 1,500 workers working by firelight!
But you could shoe a horse or other beast of burden to pull a cart for travel. Bag the auto.
The Gaslamp or Candle then. They both came before the electric lightbulb, and they both lit up large areas.
@jeremy actually I believe the antecs or myans had sanitation systems.
willbrawn: iPhone? Aztecs and Mayans
@willbrawn, Sorry, I meant medical sanitation, sorry for the mix up.
@gailcalled yup iphone auto-correct oh joy.
@will; too bad the word didn’t come up as “antics.”
If I may make a note about antecs, I find that they are quite dirty, all those fans in one computer case are bound to pick up a great deal of dust.
hee hee. Nerd Humor. My favorite: There are 10 types of people in the world; those who understand binary and those who have friends… from Toothpaste for Dinner.
I get it! Does that mean I don’t have friends?
update: The LHC, as it may also be the last…
They started it up, and we’re still here!
ah, but it takes 24 hours to fully power up.
And it could take weeks for the particles to actually collide…
twitter. What would I do if i didn’t know what was going on with EVERYONE all the time?
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