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The Mother of All Inventions
January 13, 2006
WHAT WERE THE MOST IMPORTANT inventions of the last 200 years? The BBC tried to answer that question recently and I think they did a poor job. A few other places have done a better job. By a wide margin they listed the bicycle as being first among all inventions. I find it hard to believe the bicycle had a more profound impact on society than the light bulb, automobile and telephone. Of course, I amy be biased.
It has been more than 35 years since the United States landed a man on the moon, arguably the greatest technological achievement in our coutry's history. Since then advances in technology have been much more subtle. Some even contend that we are entering a dark age of innovation. I hope they are wrong.
In an effort to spur conversation and dialogue I came up with a better list of the most important inventions since 1800. They include:
| 1. Incandescent light bulb | 11. Anesthesia |
| 2. Automobile | 12. Petrochemicals |
| 3. Telephone | 13. Photography & motion pictures |
| 4. Transistor | 14. Satellite communications & GPS |
| 5. Radio | 15. Nuclear fusion |
| 6. Water distribution & sanitation | 15. Optical fiber |
| 7. Computer | 17. Plastics & synthetic rubber |
| 8. Airplane | 18. Rocket |
| 9. Air conditioning and refrigeration | 19. Phonograph |
| 10. Television | 20. Zipper |
What do you think? ■
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