What was the most important engineering breakthrough of the past 120 year?

1. 78

   accofrancoposted 15 years ago

   What was the most important engineering breakthrough of the past 120 year? And why did you chosed your answer,please answer wisely.Lets learn.

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      mekoahhposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I think is the fibre optic cable. It has changed telecommunications.

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2. 82

   bill komissaroffposted 15 years ago

   Clearly it's the Twitter machine.

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3. 60

   Junksterposted 15 years ago

   I'd say the automobile, or maybe the microwave oven haha
   
   both have helped lazy people the world over!

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4. 60

   rlakiesposted 15 years ago

   Well on ABC morning news they had this discussion.  It was the internet.  Without it we would be noobs

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5. 72

   WHoArtNowposted 15 years ago

   The internet is pretty important, for obvious reasons. I'd also like to add a couple.
   
   Space travel.
   Stem cell research.
   The car.
   The Jet.
   Nuclear Power.
   Telecommunications.
   The Helicopter.
   
   The list could go on. I don't think you could make a list where everyone agrees either, because some things have impacted more or less on others lives.

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6. 89

   Paragliderposted 15 years ago

   The thermionic valve, or vacuum tube. This device made Wireless (radio) possible, and later TV and even the first computers. The whole semiconductor revolution which led to PCs and the Internet rides on the coat tails of the elder statesman, Thermionics!

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7. 78

   accofrancoposted 15 years ago

   Nice contribution from u wonderful guys.Stem cell and human cloning,computer and robotics,rockets and comworld,i will continue to update,keep commenting,science and tech are the backbone of the earth.

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8. 66

   RKHenryposted 15 years ago

   With so many to choose from, how can anyone really decide?  It seems that each invention, each idea, each contribution, just leads to a better one around the corner.  Whereas I agree with all of the above mentioned- I have a friend who is a real science/tech freak.  He told me about the possibility, of harnessing live human viruses into ipod batteries for energy.   So I went online to my sciencenews.com website and sure enough, he was right.
   
   Here is an excerpt of what they said:
   
           "A computer virus won’t help your laptop work — but a biological virus could. Tweaking their genes just so could engineer viruses for making the rechargeable lithium ion batteries that power devices such as laptops, iPods and cell phones, researchers report online April 2 in Science."
   
   Everyday, the world gets even more interesting.

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9. 60

   GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years ago

   120 years is a lot of ground to cover...we've gotten better and faster at making new breakthroughs as time has gone on.
   
   I'm down with what most people have said here.
   
   I'd also raise three, more specifically to technology:
   
   RISC architecture (PowerPC, your X-Box, PS3, cellphones, etc.)
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risc
   
   The Qubit and Quantum Computing
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qubit
   
   And.."clockless processing"
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clockless_processor
   
   Cheers,
   
   G|M

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10. 78

    accofrancoposted 15 years ago

    Guys i think the answer to this question is "electricity" because without it every other invention is dumb and useless,think about it.But whoever that discovers the cure to HIV/AIDS should take the lead.

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11. 0

    Wadey101mposted 15 years ago

    Wasn't electricity discovered a lot earlier than 120 years though. So I would have to say Aviation! It's made our world local.

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    1. 60

       GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Some of the Egyptians most likely used a battery and an early form incandescent light bulb when working in some of the Pyramids. They learned to use acidic fruit juice and pour it into what is known as a "baghdad" battery. Granted no ones ever seen the light bulbs, but there are clues in the murals on the walls.
       
       Not to mention in many of the pyramids there just simply is not enough oxygen to keep fire going.
       
       G|M

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          RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          Yeah, I saw that on the history channel or nationsl geographic.  Pretty cool.

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             GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

             History, probably. They did a show on "Ancient Aliens." It was good, but not much that I myself had not heard before. Then again, I do listen to Coast to Coast AM. I love crazy topics, gives you a chance to step out of your skin.

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             1. 61

                tony0724posted 15 years agoin reply to this

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12. 60

    GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years ago

    Almost is always a good thing.
    
    But, consider...we know the Egyptians harnessed electricity. They made little metal icons that were basically planes. Across the world Pyramids have been built, though, with different designs. Are we to believe the probability that human nature was attracted to a pyramid?
    
    And then...why are there giant mounds and the like that are only visible from the air? Who are they for? 'cause they weren't for the people who made them, unless they had flying machines.
    
    Just a few thoughts. Is it possible? Yes. Is it probable? Yes. Is it likely? Well, thats another question..and now I'm just splitting hairs.
    
    G|M
    
    P.S.
    
    Ever heard of the Drake Equation?
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation
    
    Its a mathematics formula that gives us a rough view on how many planets there are that are being populated by "advanced" civilizations at one time. Its never a question of "if" there is life out there, its always a question of "when" we will find it.
    
    Unless of course you're an ardent creationist. But, thats your problem, not mine.. I kid, I kid. I'm down with all worldviews.

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       RKHenryposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       When you fly over Peru, it makes you wonder who were they working for!  But I'm not a theorist.  I dig for solid concrete facts, not conspiracy theories.  A person can lose themselves to that ***p!  When you start addressing the world through the looking glass of a theorist, you miss what's right in front of you.  Or at least that's been my experience wondering through the fantastic world of history.

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          GeneriqueMediaposted 15 years agoin reply to this

          You're absolutely right...many people become naive. Like those who think 9/11 was staged. (They're just using it as a coping mechanism) But consider that "conspiracy theorism" is good journalism when done well. People connect dots that are not readily apparent.
          
          As a student of history, have you ever seen how "hard news" used to dominate our radio airwaves and television? Now we get sound bytes. We're told this, than that, and they don't bother to tell you why they correlate. We're left to come up with the why ourselves.
          
          This is why I love the Wall Street Journal. People think its purely for economists, but they have a lot of good articles on many different subjects. We live in a capitalistic society, after all.
          
          One neat thing they do is have an "overview" on the front page of all of the articles they have. And during the course of your reading, they'll tell you to reference another article...and soon, you begin to see the bigger picture.
          
          Don't be afraid of the word "conspiracy" all it means is to "conspire," to act in secret in concert. Conspiracies do after all, exist. You've the JFK murder (and if you think it was Lee Harvy, you have a fair chance of getting some of the facts..but Kennedy was shot before the grassy knoll as seen by the original Zapruder film. When the CIA and Warren Commision took it to use it as evidence it came back to the owner missing a few seconds. Apparently we are to believe people who dealt with projector technology accidentally "fudged" up a key part of the puzzle and they had to edit it out and splice the video back together. You've never seen the original film.)
          
          Watergate, Monica Lewenski, the Revolutionary War, and so many other things.
          
          Sincerely,
          
          G|M
          
          P.S.
          Its probable that the projector did indeed just fudge up the film. But do you want to think the CIA was dumb enough to screw up the only known film that could hold the key to solving the murder? In my experience, while this can happen, its rarely the case.

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13. 61

    hnyajiposted 15 years ago

    Aeroplanes!
    definitely

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14. 74

    AEvansposted 15 years ago

    mmmm.... Fiber Optics, Ultrasound, Ipods, Internet, all involved with nursing has certainly came a long way.

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15. 61

    tony0724posted 15 years ago

    For me definitely the combustion engine It was the start of travel as we know It now .

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16. 60

    Apeppersonposted 15 years ago

    Without a doubt, the Internet is cool and all the other suggestions have merit, but if we're being real here...the Leatherman Tool is by far the best invention of the last 20 years or so. Where would I be without mine?

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17. 60

    The Philposted 15 years ago

    Google search engine
    
    It's saved my a$$ on many occasions

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18. 66

    Greek Oneposted 15 years ago

    two ply soft toilet paper

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19. 0

    ralwusposted 15 years ago

    I don't know, but I have high regards to the inventors of my pacemaker/defibrillator and Australian abdominal stent for my aorta. Bot have saved my life.

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20. 0

    zampanoposted 15 years ago

    I'm happy you're with us ralwus
    
    It might look like a joke but we'll have to consider
    the tefal coating for frying pans.
    This is an enormous achievement that you can fry some eggs with minimum fat without them sticking to the pan's bottom.
    hehehe

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       ralwusposted 15 years agoin reply to this

       Thanks, and good cooks don't need them. LOL I don't for the fumes from it may harm my parrot and lil Peety the parakeet.

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21. 68

    bigmikehposted 15 years ago

    Reliable electric motors - or we'd still be in the steam age!

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22. 0

    mtsi1098posted 15 years ago

    the PC - for without it we cannot be hubbers

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23. 0

    rednckwmnposted 15 years ago

    i vote for handsoap, and the reaization that hygene is needed in hospitals.

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