What is the greatest invention ever? (1 Viewer)

[Blu]

Women would get my vote!

 

[Scott McGillivray]

Phil : I was thinking of Civ as well.

My vote would go towards Mathmatics. It is a truly international language that powers almost every facet of our lives.

 

[Jon_Are]

This is it for sure: Venetian Blinds.
Because without them, it would be curtains for all of us.

Jon

 

[John Welch]

I would have to say clumping cat litter ranks right up there with everyones submissions.

 

[Joe D]

Prescription Glasses. But, I might be a little biased since I need them.

 

[Peter_A]

Velcro

 

[Dean DeMass]

1. The thong
2. The belly shirt
3. Hip huggers (thong hangs out)
4. Beer
Everything else just doesn't matter.
-Dean-

 

[Danny Tse]

This thread actually reminded me of a book I own (shocking, isn't it?)....The Genius of China: 3000 Years of Science, Discovery and Invention by Robert Temple. The research was originally done by Joseph Needham, Director of The Needham Research Institute at Cambridge University. Most important invention of all??? You make the call....
a place for zero (in math)
paper
matches
the crossbow
gunpowder
the kite
water power
the belt drive (for turntables?)
the chain drive
the suspension bridge
strong beer (sake)
the umbrella
playing cards
paper money
the rudder (on boats)
negative numbers
the crank handle
the fishing reel
the seismograph
the compass
the propeller
the stirrup
printing press
Well, the book goes on and on. Here's a link to the book at Amazon.com. Very good and interesting read.

 

[Bill Slack]

Agriculture and farming. Without the domestication of plants, and, eventually, animals, society is basically incapable of progressing. Once a group was able to settle in one place and be self-sufficient, material and personal possesions became more common, and eventually a more structured society formed. And then some sort of record keeping evolved into written language. The rest, is history.
Beer is pretty good idea too though, and, without the domestication of grains and cereals, we wouldn't have it!

 

[John Watson]

The OFF BUTTON; and its sophisticated off-spring, the REMOTE.
Otherwise TV commercials would have driven millions to suicide...

 

[Steve Christou]

The Orgasmotron.

 

[HenrikTull]

Clothes.

 

[Paul Jenkins]

 

[Alan Erceg]

uhhh.....porn?? lol

 

[Chris Bardon]

That's easy-the thermos bottle!

You put in hot coffe-and it stays hot!
You put in cold lemonade-and it stays cold!
How do it know?

(sorry, bad old joke)

 

[Jeremy Jones]

I must vote for air conditioning. How the folks lived without it for all those years, I'll never know! Of course, that's just mine.

 

[AaronMg]

I'd have to go with tools, and plastic.

 

[Jenna]

MIDOL.
I'm sure you men will agree.

 

[Max Leung]

I second the birth control pill and the male contraceptive!
I predict the next greatest invention to be:
- A method or device that would convince everyone to take the contraceptives. Uh, besides the gun...

 

[HienN]

I'd say before the printing process came paper. Paper made possible the recording of knowledge which made a lot of other things possible. I think the ability to document and transfer knowledge/information is one of the most important things that elevate mankind (maybe more than opposable thumbs), and that can be done efficiently only with paper.