Top 10 Scientific Inventions: X-Ray Places First

[Gin Fushicho]

Nothing on destructive Nuclear energy?

 

[Guest]

#1 lithography (in all its forms from printing books to printing the circuit patters on processors)

Pretty much all the current technology we have would not be possible without it. The personal computer would not exist, no internet outside of research/defense entities, no cell phones, etc.

 

[racermx187]

The diode. Without which no transistors and no microchips

 

[porksmuggler]

The choices are rather arbitrary as others have mentioned, but the order the voting produced is even more telling. The first 3 are related to health sciences, which makes sense. The next 2 are advanced/impractical transportation. Steam locomotion and steam production somehow split between a computational device? Then practical transportation and the foundation of modern communication falling last??? They obviously aren't logically ordered by pragmatic need or by the complexity of each invention. As far as the choices go, my first thought is how many of these are worth anything without the invention of refrigeration, which hasn't been mentioned yet.

 

[ph3412b07]

The V2 was a primitive ballistic missile made from slave labor with no guidance systems. Future rocket endeavors are easily more groundbreaking than a crude WMD.

 

[Zingam]

the DNA double helix is not a human invention, goddammit!!! are you people stupid?

 

[Zingam]

[citation][nom]wyomingKnott[/nom]The wheelFireThe plowGotta agree with compass and astrolabe - lump them into NaviGation?[/citation]

It is the best list so far. I do not agree only that fire is an invention. The way to light up and keep fire yes - the fire itself is not an invention.

I also would add "the bow" and the knife. Without the bow the knife and the plow (or the similar technologies) the civilization would have never been possible. Even the wheel is not that important - the great Inca civilization existed without knowing about it.

 

[Zingam]

[citation][nom]tinnerdxp[/nom]Sorry guys - I couldn't resist....)) [sarcasm]Why iPod isn't number #1 ? ))[/sarcasm]It must be greatest invention of the past 2000 years surely?![/citation]

No and No! Because it does not play Crysis!

 

[mparham]

I would have put communciatible language at the top. Without someone or group figuring out how to use speech consistantly to relay ideas and thought so that another person could understand and continue the relay, none of those on the list would exist. Printed text and the ability to duplicate it would have to be on the list. I know most people would natuarlly think of things from the past 100 years or so and not think about the basics at the beginning. Even so,thinking of current events, the internet and microchip should be on the list. I have to make a correction, X-Ray and Double Helix DNA would exist, we just would not know about it.

 

[Bruceification73]

[citation][nom]Jerky_san[/nom]Would think penicillin would be first.. Considering it was one of the largest advancements in medicine at the time.. It saved countless lives in world war 2.[/citation]

Especially since no. 1, the X-Ray, actually can cause cancer if exposed too frequently. What a wonderful invention.

Also the DNA double helix is not an invention, but a discovery.

[citation][nom]jacobdrj[/nom]#1 Printing Press#2 Electricity#3 Steam Engine#4 Antiseptics/Pasteurization#5 Penicillin#6 Vaccination#7 Transistor#8 Nuclear Fission/Fusion#9 Compass#10 Astrolabe[/citation]

I like your list better. Electricity and the printing press are definitely more important than the x-ray, in my mind. However, I think that either the Model T or the Diamler Motor Carriage should be up there.

 

[tomtom_32]

CPU

 

[crazymech]

Honestly, it says Past-present-and-future. I agree that a transistor should be there.

P-p-f also makes it a no brainer why there is a lot of medical equipment there, it's the easiest to judge whether or not it has use in the future.

Steam engine sparked the industrialization, it changed society, so that's important. Model T ford however? I think the world would have survived without the Car for some years more.

Also; Too many rockets. Space travel to new planets is a bit far off still.

 

[steveoh]

Electricity is not an invention, pretty sure that existed before we did.

 

[anamaniac]

That list is... depressing...

 

[Guest]

How about the wheel? Where would the Model T be without the wheel? Or the gasoline engine for that matter.

 

[Guest]

It all started with fire ...

 

[redgarl]

Electricity should be number one... followed by CPUs and PCBs.

 

[redgarl]

[citation][nom]steveoh[/nom]Electricity is not an invention, pretty sure that existed before we did.[/citation]

So the electric power lines and the way to process it is not an invention? By that kind of point of view, everything already exist, but not discovered.

I am sorry, but when going into the sky, there is 2 things easy to spot on... oceans and city lights.

 

[Guest]

Tv...

 

[matt87_50]

[citation][nom]wawawoom[/nom]x86 processors! Must be in top 10 as they are almost everywhere!They have been around just over 20 years and look at the changes they made to our everyday life.[/citation]

x86 is a standard, not a discovery or an invention.

interesting lists, both the one in the article and the ones commenter's have come up with.

you know humanity is heading down hill when you compair this to the fact that a couple of years ago, the iPod was named the best invention of the year by many popular publications...

I swear, if someone names twitter or facebook a 'best invention' I'm out. going to mars.