What Do You Think is the Greatest Invention of all Time?

[nomad]

Well, you might think that the internet is the greatest invention of all time. That's because a lot of people easily get intimidated by how the internet has changed our lives. However, I believe the invention of the printing press in around 1436 by Gutenberg is the greatest invention of all time. When the printing press was invented, books could be mass-produced and distributed. When books were mass-produced, it became easier for people to be educated.

 

[passenger]

I don't know about "the greatest", but refrigeration was pretty important.

 

[Webster]

Well, you might think that the internet is the greatest invention of all time. That's because a lot of people easily get intimidated by how the internet has changed our lives. However, I believe the invention of the printing press in around 1436 by Gutenberg is the greatest invention of all time. When the printing press was invented, books could be mass-produced and distributed. When books were mass-produced, it became easier for people to be educated.

Fire and the printing press.

The printing press for obvious reasons, but fire was the first true invention because it allowed man to do multiple things: Fire provided a source of warmth and lighting, protection from predators (especially at night), a way to create more advanced hunting tools, and a method for cooking food. These cultural advances allowed human geographic dispersal, cultural innovations, and changes to diet and behavior.

 

[Nebulous]

Electricity! Nearly every aspect of our lives is powered by it.

 

[MrDawn]

I'm gonna go with cars on this one.

 

[DrLeftover]

Those are all good and reasonable answers, except for "fire", fire itself was not an invention, however, how to produce it on demand was.

I will nominate: Permanent Written Communication, as in "writing".

Marks intentionally made that have an understood meaning, that will survive over a significant period of time, to be read by others.

 

[ElegantAura]

Washing machine for me
Have saved so much time and less work and use less water too

 

[cowcatcher]

Steam engine. It allowed compact and mobile power, which opened up countless avenues of imagination.

 

[Nebulous]

Washing machine for me
Have saved so much time and less work and use less water too

Steam engine. It allowed compact and mobile power, which opened up countless avenues of imagination.

Both good ones, we're so used to normal everyday life with these things that we take them for granted.

 

[ElegantAura]

Both good ones, we're so used to normal everyday life with these things that we take them for granted.

Yes sometimes we don't see all this you are so right...... maybe are much better inventions but this are what make everyday life more easy
i did wash a lot by hand when i was very young and take time and make you tired a lot .... few clothes are not the problem , but imagine washing bigger and heavier stuff
the only good about by hand is you do end up fit

 

[MrDawn]

Video games too. One of the best sources of entertainment.

 

[freakofnature]

I'm surprised no one has said the wheel. Oldie but a goodie.

 

[Mendalla]

If we are talking modern inventions:

In terms of making life easier and better in a whole host of ways, electricity.

In terms of saving lives, antibiotics and vaccines.

I'm surprised no one has said the wheel. Oldie but a goodie.

Fire and the printing press.

The printing press for obvious reasons, but fire was the first true invention because it allowed man to do multiple things: Fire provided a source of warmth and lighting, protection from predators (especially at night), a way to create more advanced hunting tools, and a method for cooking food. These cultural advances allowed human geographic dispersal, cultural innovations, and changes to diet and behavior.

These two are huge, especially the latter. Of course, fire predates modern humans. It may have started with homo erectus.

 

[Webster]

Electricity! Nearly every aspect of our lives is powered by it.

And a way to fry people too!

 

[cowcatcher]

Odd things that really changed our lives:
ATMs
Bar code scanners
Microwave ovens

 

[DrLeftover]

 

[McConnaughay]

Penicillin. I would hate to have to use Quillicillian like they did in the olden days.

 

[Kyng]

The internet... I would be pretty lost without it!

 

[Uncrowned]

Written language would be my vote as it is hard to decide between the internet, the printing press, and even printed media in general, but all needed written language to succeed in the first place. The steam engine would also be near the top for me.

 

[riseabovethis]

Wikipedia. If I couldn't look things up I wouldn't know what the hell you kids are talking about most of the time.