Top 5 inventions/innovations/technologies in history

**scottish steve** · 07-30-2011, 07:24 AM

This might have been done to death but I just filled a glass with ice and felt immense gratitude that I live in a time after the invention of refrigeration. So top 5 inventions of all time (if anyone suggests Gran Torino IV or something I'll be very disappointed)

My provisional top 5 in no particular order are

Domestication of livestock
Fire-making (which I'd like to include smelting ores etc)
Irrigation and sewage-works (so this could be one, The Aquaduct)
The lever (which ultimately gave us the internal combustion engine)
The Hobby (without which no-one would have been able to think about all this stuff)

I think it's quite clear there are few wrong answers to this. I'm sure lots of people if asked this would automatically say "the internet", but for me this hasn't changed human interaction in a fundamental way, simply made things a lot easier and quicker.

**davros** · 07-30-2011, 07:27 AM

Writing?

**Gustav Halbach** · 07-30-2011, 07:36 AM

Medicine (Longer healthier lives)
The wheel (Moving large objects, building, transportation)
Mathmatics (Building, architecture, science)
Music (Soothe the savage beast within)
Agriculture (Feed ourselves)

**noctilux** · 07-30-2011, 08:41 AM

- turntable (pottery and records)
- 35mm camera
- distillation of alcohol
- string bikini (female version)
- and, of course, DE safety razor

v.

p.s. for reasons of modesty, i have left out the internet

**watch_art** · 07-30-2011, 09:10 AM

art. predates writing. ;) STILL a universal form of communication.

**maxman** · 07-30-2011, 10:03 AM

Interesting. I've seen a whole bunch of these types of lists and usually without fail, #1 on the lists is always the printing press.
I do agree with that, but here's a few that I like (in no particular order):
- The Diaper Genie
- The Microchip

**Stubblefield** · 07-30-2011, 11:40 AM

Tool making is of course the most significant one, and the one advance that was absolutely necessary for us to progress as a species. No tool making, no Homo Sapiens.

I'd probably list agriculture as one of the worst inventions in terms of its current day impacts, but it is still a significant one. Others:

1. Logic
2. The germ theory of disease
3. Sewage treatment
4. Number and number sense

**Slim1023** · 07-30-2011, 12:53 PM

BBQ sauce

**Stubblefield** · 07-30-2011, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by Slim1023

BBQ sauce

**bkfist** · 07-30-2011, 03:54 PM

Harnessing/understanding of electromagnetism. (ie invention/harnessing of electric energy generation & electric motors, telegraph, & so many other technologies which would never have existed without the ability to generate electricity from mechanical & chemical sources, or being able to turn that electrical energy back into mechanical energy.)

**flyingwmelon** · 07-30-2011, 04:16 PM

refrigeration
spell check

**mmack66** · 07-30-2011, 04:18 PM

Sliced bread, obviously.

**Alacrity59** · 07-30-2011, 04:18 PM

The mute button?

**rajagra** · 07-30-2011, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Stubblefield

Tool making is of course the most significant one, and the one advance that was absolutely necessary for us to progress as a species. No tool making, no Homo Sapiens.

Ah, but neanderthals had tools first. They were stronger than us, had bigger brains, and outnumbered us greatly, having being around for so long.

It was strategic thinking that meant we survived and they died out. We could anticipate the behaviour of animals we hunted (and the neanderthals.)
We had better communication too (thanks to twisty throats allowing more sounds, and a differently wired brain.)

But invention wise, homo sapiens invented the spear thrower so we could hunt better than the neanderthals.

**davros** · 07-30-2011, 05:32 PM

Well, if you want to get all factual about it, tool making predates both Neanderthals and modern humans by rather a long time.

Now you come to mention it, there's some evidence that fire probably does as well.

**bkfist** · 07-30-2011, 05:38 PM

[QUOTE=davros;3337295]Well, if you want to get all factual about it, tool making predates both Neanderthals and modern humans by rather a long time.

Now you come to mention it, there's some evidence that fire probably does as well.[/QUOTE

Yes,but that was natural fire, without all those man made chemicals. :)

**davros** · 07-30-2011, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by bkfist

Yes,but that was natural fire, without all those man made chemicals. :)

Organic, free-range fire won't burn you, because it only releases positive, natural energy.

(Just in case what I wrote was taken for sarcasm, I did mean making fire, btw)

**Trumanj** · 07-30-2011, 06:00 PM

Originally Posted by Alacrity59

The mute button?

Now to invent one of those for women...

**scottish steve** · 07-30-2011, 08:29 PM

Writing! Argh! How could I have forgotten that!
But I think "logic" is too nebulous a term to list.

**Linyx** · 07-30-2011, 09:04 PM

I'd put "mastery of the food supply" as #1, including everything that entails.

Without #1, there wouldn't be much time left for other things. That's not to say it needs to be as "good" as it is now, but merely good enough that less than 99% of the population must be farmers to survive.