10 inventions that have had the most impact on human society
Great minds often tend to change the whole world with just one invention. We would still be sitting by a candle and writing a letter to get in touch with a friend, as opposed to sitting in front of the computer and logging into Facebook to contact a friend if it wasn’t for certain inventions that were so incredible that they had enough impact to change the whole world forever. Today, we point out the 10 inventions that have had the most impact on human society.
1 - The Wheel
The wheel is often regarded as the invention that paved the way for all other innovations created throughout history. It is so old that it is not known when it was first created or who invented it. However, the oldest wheel found on the planet is estimated to be more than 5 thousand years old. The wheel was at first used for more efficient and faster transportation of goods. Even now, the wheel is one of the main things new technological inventions depend on.
2 – The Compass
The compass was used since the 14th century, and is still represents the navigation system for some explorers, even though navigation has never been easier with the satellite signals coming from space straight to your phone. Remember that without the compass many researchers would never have reached their planned destinations, and history would be totally different. This innovation was the one that ignited the Age of Discovery and also enabled interaction between previously isolated populations around the world.
3 – Printing Press
Ever since the 11th century, there were ideas of a printing press around the world. However, the person that realized these ideas in an efficient way and made it popular was Johann Gutenberg. He did so in the 1430s. He thought of several great ideas to perfect this invention, such as creating metal printing blocks, as they were proved to be much more durable then the hand-carved wooden letters that were used up until that point.
He was also notable for his advancement in ink and paper production. The printing press had an amazing impact for people all around the world, because information could be recorded and spread around the world much faster than before. It also made books far more affordable to middle class people.
4 – The Telephone
Since it was invented, the telephone has been regarded as one of the most useful things to have in your home. It simply lets us communicate with any other person in the world that also has a telephone. However, it was not always affordable for a lot of people. After Alexander Graham Bell invented this device, only few people were in the possession of it. However, after mass production cut down the price and after more people started using them, they revolutionized the world of communication. Nowadays, it’s hard to imagine a person going anywhere without a cell phone in their pocket.
5 – Steam Engine
None of the existing transportation methods that you can see around you would ever be possible if the steam engine hadn’t been invented. More importantly, you wouldn’t have supermarkets and large quantities of foods, drinks, and clothes everywhere if it wasn’t for this innovation. Prior to the steam engine, everything was made by hand. It is enough to say that it had such an impact on the human society that it sparked the Industrial Revolution. After that, large factories started opening, and the rest is history.
6 – Antibiotics
The invention of antibiotics was a huge step for medicine. It saved and is still saving countless lives by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. The antibiotics are truely one of the best medical inventions until today. Alexander Fleming is the notable for discovering penicillin during the 1920’s. He did this accidentally, but after he acknowledged what he had done, antibiotics spread enormously fast throughout the entire world. Antibiotics are still known for their ability to fight off almost every form of infection.
7 – The Automobile
During the 19th century, many people saw the vision for personal motor vehicles. However, it was not until Karl Benz’s Motorwagen in 1885 that this vision was put to life. This being the first automobile in the world did not make it affordable for everyone. So, after some time, Henry Ford decided to improve the production process, which certainly brought the price down a notch. Nowadays, some people barely walk, as they even go to the corner store with their car. This invention has changed the looks of cities around the world, as every road and street is designed to be perfect for driving a car.
8 – Electricity
If there is one thing that people can’t live without today – it is electricity. It is without a doubt one of the most important things that mark the era we live in. Just imagine a world without electricity; you wouldn’t have TV’s, computers, air conditioning, electric lights etc. That’s a world I wouldn’t want to live in.
9 – The Computer
With the advancement of electronics and semiconductors, came the computer. Most of us spend a large portion of our day in front of the computer, whether for entertainment purposes or to work and they are such complex machines that a large number of highly paid professions are based on only a few computer programs or the knowledge about just a small part of its software or hardware. Not to mention that the entertainment aspect of computers is something that all of us are familiar with.
10 – The Internet
The internet is the one thing that enabled us to be connected to the whole world, no matter where we are. The whole modern world depends on the internet, as it has the most impact on business, economy, politics, art, entertainment, communications, etc. It helps us get our hands on absolutely any type of information we need. However, some people claim that we have only begun to see what type of impact it will have on the world.
Courtesy of www.uncoverdiscover.com
