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O/T Discoveries Thru Time

J

John B.

Well-known Member
We had a good discussion at work the other day. It was about some of the most important discoveries man has made thru time.

Here are some we came up with and each of us felt strongly that his or hers was more important but we convinced each other that one is as important as the other or needs the other for one to do it's job.

Fire, Metal, Plastic, Electricity, Oil, Glass, The Wheel, Refrigeration. This is just some I remember. My input was Magnetism. Without oil and grease the wheels and gears in the world may stop turning but without magnetism they would never start. So many machines depend on electricity/magnetism such as our cars, guidance systems including GPS gadgets, motors.

I was just curious what your input may be on this subject.
 
Computers are certainly on the list. They have revolutionized manufacturing (CNC, robotics), accounting, communication, transportation, writing, just about everything we do. Can you imagine ytmag without personal computers? Neither can I.

And, I think, are probably as responsible as anything for the fix we are now in- simply not enough remaining work to do for the number of people that need to be employed. We sort of moved the walnut shells around for awhile with increased guvment employment, more welfare, then first the tech bubble, then the real estate bubble kept us going for several years. But nothing seems to be working now, and its appearing that we're about all out of rabbits, and all out of hats.
 
The things that you listed are important inventions from the past.

Most recently, it seems that corporate America has produced more over-paid executives than anything useful for the people of the country.
 
The telephone. Changed from slow forms of communication, letters,travel and face to face meetings to everything being instant, from faxes to email to the internet.
 
Toothbrush...

Cavemen were chewing on sticks to clean their teeth. Think about the proliferation of mankind if we had no teeth. Be kind of hard to survive.
 
I don't think any one is more important than the others. Mankind started at the bottom, probably with fire, and just worked their way up with inventions when needed. Just like climbing a ladder, you start at the bottom and work your way up. If a rung is missing then you (mankind) will invent one! All are equally important, but I'm not sure about cheese or beer, :lol:
 
I"d go with fire - more specifically with cooking food. By cooking our food we get far more nutrients out of it; those extra nutrients allowed the human brain to grow much larger and more powerful than other animals".

Or maybe beer.
 
indoor plumbing, toilet paper, remote controlled tvs, king size beds and i must admit; jockey styled briefs. i supposed summed up in two words: creature comforts.
 
I think of advances in medical technology (my profession) that I have seen in the last nearly 40 years. Some not earth shattering but some were. How many of you remember standing in line to get the first ever polio nnalert as I do.
 
I like daves answer. But we all on here are pretty dang smart in our own rite. Answer this. How in the world did cave dwellers get the idea to melt rock and make iron. Let alone the alloys. Tin and copper together who thought that one up? And what drove the thinking process.
 
Per the "Hydraulics" answer
In a hydraulics class at Tech school, I learned
that "Londen Bridge" opened and closed by water
powered cylinders..OX hides were used as "Leathers
" on large diameter low pressure cylinders.
Also, In the CB&Q Roundhouse in LaCrosse Wisconsin
where I served my Railroad Machinist Apprentice-
ship, we had a Water powered lift cylinder. It was
16 inch"s diameter, with an 8 foot stroke. 16
inch diameter piston has 200 sq inch"s area. It
used 250 PSI water pressure, from a special pump.
250Psi, on 200 sq in=50240 lbs, or 25 tons. It
dated from the 1890"s !
 

Taxes, Without them there would be no money for the gubmnt to be able to give us so much free stuff.
 
Not a discovery, but a development: language. It allowed humans to plan and coordinate, and act as a society rather than a pack.
 
great choice ! beer has saved more mairrages, kept people employed longer, and just generally kept peoples sanity hands down , greatest invention ever
bob
 
The hole in donuts. Sliced bread. Cream in coffee to keep the heat from escaping. Icing on cake to keep the moisture in. Can you tell that I missed supper tonight -was baling hay late here in s.w. Pa.
 
(reply to post at 13:22:17 05/21/13)
Click to expand...

I would say for the medical profession inaccurate thermometers. For the patient any thing that lessons the pain while doing a procedure.

I think in the next few years we will see accurate pre-cancer detection beyond out beliefs.
 
With each advance in technology, agriculture, and medical science we figure out how to feed more people, keep them in a more confined space, and keep them alive longer--all of which lead to more problems! What is progress?
 
how about the pencil ? with it I can draw a sketch,or a diagram,or write down a letter,note or a list it also is helpfull if challanged by a math problem or if a mark is needed to cut off a board,and if I make a mistake the eraser on the end will remove said mistake quickly
 
(quoted from post at 21:22:17 05/21/13) How many of you remember standing in line to get the first ever polio nnalert as I do.
Click to expand...

Remember it well, standing in line in grade school to get the oral nnalert. Never gave it much thought until I worked with a lady who got polio just before the nnalert became available. Makes one really appreciate it when you see what could have been. She really had to struggle with life.
 
John.......gotta disagree. I don't have any teeth and I survive just fine! Can eat anything. Well, almost. 'Can't eat peanuts. I swear, you can roll those things around in there for hours and they WILL NOT soften up. I finally quit trying.
 
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