Given To The World

ok given that there is going to be an award to the invetor/discoverer of one thing that had a beneficial impact mankind what would that be and why.
Please try to think beyond the obvious "cure for cancer" although medical achievements do count. I would like to see things that might not be so obvious in the benefit... things taken for granted.

There are 2 awards

1st best invention from a country

2nd best overall world invention

My choices

1. The 3 point seat belt for the lives it has saved...Nils Bohlin, Sweden

2. The flushing toilet, for the lives it has saved :lol: .. i am going to give credit to Thomas Crapper, England although there is a lot of dispution to this as it's believed that possibly Alexander cummings of North america may have pipped him and even that as long as 4000 years ago in achient crete.

Two of the greats where I am concerned are fire and soap. I am sorry, I don't know who discovered/invented them, but I am awfully grateful for them! :D

Air conditioning/refrigeration- who would have thought that you could "trap" heat in a liquid. It almost defies logic.

And it has changed the world in regards to preservation of food.

I think the humble electric light bulb deserves a mention. One only has to have a short power cut to feel the icy tentacles of superstitious fears creeping back into peoples' hearts.

Eddison, I believe, got there first.

I am not sure who invented the can opener, but, before his or her moment of genius, cans must have really drove people crazy.

Penicillin, Fleming, the UK, I think.

And the wheel, since it's helped humanity in so many ways.



EDit: But it's damned difficult to say which inventions are the greatest ever.

There's the microscope for instance, which I think may have saved a lot of lives too. Or compasses, or a hundred other things.

Doesn't have to be mind blowing...just the unsung everyday taken for granted but great none the less

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Originally posted by vidcc@8 August 2004 - 20:59
Doesn't have to be mind blowing...just the unsung everyday taken for granted but great none the less

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The thong
http://www.garv.net/20020214/thong/tn_thong005_jpg.jpg

Quote:

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Originally posted by hobbes+8 August 2004 - 17:04--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (hobbes @ 8 August 2004 - 17:04)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-vidcc@8 August 2004 - 20:59
Doesn&#39;t have to be mind blowing...just the unsung everyday taken for granted but great none the less

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The thong
http://www.garv.net/20020214/thong/tn_thong005_jpg.jpg [/b][/quote]
well we have a winner :lol: ...mind you i have seen women that i thought were wearing thongs that turned out to be pantaloons :blink:

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Originally posted by Biggles@8 August 2004 - 18:24
I think the humble electric light bulb deserves a mention. One only has to have a short power cut to feel the icy tentacles of superstitious fears creeping back into peoples&#39; hearts.

Eddison, I believe, got there first.

I am not sure who invented the can opener, but, before his or her moment of genius, cans must have really drove people crazy.

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I would broaden Biggles post to include "electricity"

It powers my computer, my TV, my air conditioning, my lights and my stove.

With it off, I would be in a very hot, a very hungry, and very isolated world.

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Originally posted by hobbes@9 August 2004 - 00:13
I would broaden Biggles post to include "electricity"

It powers my computer

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See, that&#39;s an instant reason for the rest of us to rule it out. :P

I think the invention of the microchip has got to be up there somewhere..

So many things in our lives would not be possible without the microchip. I believe the kudos goes to Jack Kilby


However, I agree with refrigeration too, that&#39;s a good shout.. There are so many things to choose from... :unsure:

The printing press- made it possible to disseminate information and technology to the masses.

The marine chronometer- made transoceanic navigation more than a hit or miss affair.

Helen Mirren-no particular reason, just think the world would be a poorer place without her.

Yeah, thank god for that.

Microwaveable bacon.

Nut-crackers and socket wrenches.

i&#39;m going to have to second thongs on this one for world&#39;s greatest invention :)

one good invention that really changed our lives would definately have to be the wheel as someone mentioned b4.