Greatest invention

[LordHaveMurci]

My 12yr old lad asked me last night what I thought the greatest invention ever was.

Big question, wasn't sure how to respond - what do you all think?

[freshkid]

I think the usual answer is the wheel...or sliced bread.

[zygalski]

[Vaud]

Surely the best response is:

"why don't you flick through this encyclopaedia/wikipedia and tell me what you think the top 3 are - and why?"

[Vaud]

Plough
Wheel
Printing press
Electronic communications
Steam/petrol engine
Lightbulb
Transistor / Computer
Internet

[Exige77]

Honda K20

[awooga]

Mill wheel for grinding flour / barley.

Good argument for a telescope - becomes the starting point for all of our astrophysics, space travel, theory of relativity etc.

[anothernameitist]

Pole dancing

[roboxm3]

We've had this topic before and the one that stuck with me, probably because I'd never have thought of it myself, was the standardised shipping container (Intermodal Container).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_container

[Vitorio]

Exige77 said:

Honda K20

Alfa Busso V6 surely?

On topic, the internet has had a tremendous impact on society, and faster then most other inventions (where were combustion engines 20 years after the first one was available to consumers?)

[anonymous-user]

cocaine and hookers. in that order.

edit - and Davanti tyres !

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 23 March 14:59

[tones61]

the lighter,
no1 on stephen fry's programme/100 greatest invetions, :-)

[mikefacel]

zygalski said:

When there is one for men, yes.

[Wacky Racer]

1 The wheel

2 The Umbrella

3 Electricity

[Trophy Husband]

Jenga.

[PurpleMoonlight]

Pizza.

[Truckosaurus]

Not exactly a 'thing' but the invention of agriculture (as opposed to just hunting and gathering) was the first step in civilisation and trading rather than just survival.

[juice]

Truckosaurus said:

Not exactly a 'thing' but the invention of agriculture (as opposed to just hunting and gathering) was the first step in civilisation and trading rather than just survival.

I was going to go for domestication of animals

[funkyrobot]

zygalski said:

Days of the week?

Yes, it helps. However, there are better things, like bird scarer bangers.

[funkyrobot]

mikefacel said:

zygalski said:

When there is one for men, yes.

There is: