Internet
-The Internet has revolutionized the
way people obtain and disseminate information. Billions of people use the
Internet every day and without it society would process at a much
slower and economic growth would be nowhere near where it is today. The
Internets beginnings can be traced to computer scientist Lawerence Roberts, who
was working for the Department of Defense on a way for computers to communicate
within the agency.
Telephone
-The telephone revolutionized communication
throughout the world, as people were only able to converse long
distance via snail mail, which would take several days if not weeks. The
telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, as he was the first
one to have a communication device that could relay audible signals to the
person using it.
Printing Press
-Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press
around 1440. The printing press is in my opinion the most important invention
of all time. It represents the beginning of recorded history as well as
the widespread dissemination of knowledge. Gutenberg created a hand mold for
moveable type that enabled nearly 3,600 pages to be produced in a single
day.
Light Bulb
-Thomas Edison invented the light bulb in 1879,
which was merely a bulb connected to a generator via electrical wiring. The
light bulb enabled people to do many more things at night including reading and
cooking. The light bulb had a huge impact on people productivity levels as
they can do anything at anytime now instead of only when there was sunlight.
People use to go to bed when the sun went down, but with the invention of the
light bulb people now go to bed much later in the evening.
Airplane
-The Wright Brothers are credited with
inventing and build the airplane that completed the first successful
flight. The airplane has enabled people to move across the globe in much
shorter amounts of time, making traveling more pleasurable and economically
feasible. For example, the airplane enables us to travel from the United States
to Europe in 10 hours, when a boat ride would take 3 months.
Combustion Engine
-The combustion engine is the basis for travel, as
it is the basis for how airplanes and cars are able to move at the speeds that
they do. The combustion engine turns chemical energy into mechanical work. The
engine releases a high temperature gas that applies force to the pistons in the
engine, thus moving them. The combustion engine was instrumental in the success
of the Industrial Age, as it replaced hand tools with more efficient mechanical
technology.
X-Ray
-The X-ray machine was developed in 1895 and had an
immediate change on how doctors detected disease and diagnosed injuries. It has
a huge impact on the daily lives of people, from medical detection to high tech
security at airports.
Penicillin
-Founded by Alexander Fleming in 1928. It has been
instrumental in the killing of bacterial diseases and does not cause harm to
humans. Penicillin became mass marketed to the public around 1944, and enjoy
instant success and effectiveness.
Refrigerator
-The refrigerator has had an immense
impact on the way people interact with food. With refrigeration, people
are able to store foods for longer periods of time and do not have to
constantly go to the market. The Refrigerator enables us to also quickly
cool things down, as opposed to having to use ice. The refrigerator has enabled
us to keep more fruits and vegetables on hand, thus increasing our
nutrition.
Wheel
-The wheel was invented in 3500 B.C. and
revolutionized the way that people moved themselves and their cargo
around. The wheel had a huge impact on agriculture at that time, and today
is used everywhere including airplanes, which were an invention that was named
above. The wheel is instrumental in having time effective transportation,
which is crucial to our economy and making all humans daily lives
easier.
