Most important invention ever ?

[TeeBird]

Yes, the cutting edge.

And then probably the bow and arrow.

[Five Finger Fender Fiend]

Beer, Oral sex AND the remote control for the TV!

[drewsblues]

Not really an invention, per se.... but the first time someone used an object as a tool. A rock to crack open a nut, a stick as a lever, a stone as a projectile to kill some creature that would otherwise maul our sorry ar$3$. That started it all.

[Wally]

"The plow is much more 'important' than the hand axe in terms of 'modern man'."

I would posit that the plow is just an advanced cutting edge.
I was watching a program on the time of coexistence of Cro Magnon and Neanderthal. Now that I think back on the points made in that program, some of the archeologists believe that the main difference between the two and the reason for the demise of Neanderthal was that the positioining of the larynx higher in the throat prevented the creation of higher language for the Neanderthals. The Cormagnon larynx was lower and could express a wider range of sounds. This ability led to higher functioning of the mental processes....and hence to our point on this Earth.
So, maybe I would defer to those who have put forward language in this thread.
Of course, the other major difference between the two was that Cromagnon has longer legs and narrower hips that provide the ability to cover vast distances more quickly. They made the point that this body structure provides the best running machine of all animals on Earth. A good human can run farther longer at speed than anything else....maybe a wolf can compete??
With all of our accomplishments, though, I sometimes feel that mankind is still basically caveman in essence. OUr technology is higher, but it seems that ultimately our technology has its highest priority in warfare. Many of the greatest accomplishments in technology have come about as the result of militaristic endeavors/demands/initiatives. Big ass clubs we wield, eh?
That is why perhaps the beer and recreation aspect wins the argument for me, here. (:^)

[po-boy]

my vote goes to - underwear -

before underwear people wore the same set of clothes until they were no longer wearable and then replaced them with new clothes - for most people this was about once a year - having underwear meant you could change and clean your undies and keep your clothes relatively clean until they wore out - i believe underwear was the light that brought us out of the dark ages -



- i'm not a complete idiot ... some parts are missing -

[Wally]

Originally Posted by po-boy

my vote goes to - underwear -

before underwear people wore the same set of clothes until they were no longer wearable and then replaced them with new clothes -

So, I guess this 'dirty clothes' theory would explain why we never see Brittney Spears in the same clothes????

[Colt W. Knight]

Originally Posted by Wally

So, I guess this 'dirty clothes' theory would explain why we never see Brittney Spears in the same clothes????

Is there an emoticon that does rim shots?

[jimd]

Originally Posted by ajgus

Yeah, but if not for sex there would be no inventions.

Yes but without beer there would be no sex.

[mudbean]

MUSIC!!!

mud

[Robin Nahum]

This was discussed on a local radio show about design a few years ago and a guy who had thought about this a lot told us that he had settled on the screw... er... the thing that you use to adjust pickup height, and of course the screwdriver.

His thinking was that it is the great enabler. Anything that involves modern engineering or mass production could not have happened without this important fastener.

[Bill]

A few things I'd add (maybe someone got these already):

The lever

The pulley

Fire (not as a discovery, but putting it to use and methods for recreating it on demand)

The boat

Antisceptics

Anesthetics

Eyeglasses

Maps

The compass

The domestication of animals

[hockey_head]

the screw (mechanical kind)..........................................
worst ever...... the screw (the situational, professional, divorce, used car salesman, gas price,...........kind)!

[badlands]

Telecaster?
Bassman?

[boris bubbanov]

Drum machines.

Need I say more?

[badlands]

Hmm but except from teles...
For modern times i guess it would be the ability to make use of oil as fuel-
Without using oil, we would still be stuck in the early 19th century!
Sad but true... No wonder why oil still rules economics and pretty much everything in the world.
And then of course the internal combustion engine, these two thing are the main reason why we are where we are today well in my opinion at leeast
And the written language was a huge step as well

[odiemann]

Seriously, I think Gutenberg gets my vote too. Europe suffered through a thousand years of neglect and decay and the printing press was responsible for the Renaissance and mankind moving forward.

Agreed to the effect for Europe. But like many things from the land mine to the movable sail, pasta, the clock, the seismograph, and many others - it is a Chinese invention. The only thing the Gutenberg press did was include metal type. Movable type in stone and wood were already used in China.

[charlie chitlin]

Originally Posted by ajgus

Sex in general. I mean think about it...who were the first two people to do that. Cause you know when they first started they were like "I think we might have something here...lets see where this goes..."

I wonder when folks started to figure out what it caused?
It'd be like if stubbing your toe caused a headache 9 months later.
Speaking of headaches...there have been some mornings when Cold Formula Alka Seltzer would get my vote for greatest invention!

[monfoodoo]

Billy Mays,MIGHTY PUTTY

[Louthunder]

I can't believe that after almost 100 tries nobody got the right answer. How about the Kotex products. Seriously think about it!

[JayFreddy]

Originally Posted by JayFreddy

...without zero, we'd have almost nothing...

I can't believe nobody commented on the pun... Get it?

"Almost" nothing...

Oh Nevermind.

[shades]

Ah,lemme see...Swiss army knife, nylon cable ties and the Zippo lighter.

[Fatmanstratman]

....Black Pudding. The food of the gods.....



Closely followed by HP Sauce.... the two were made for each other.



THIS is what put the GREAT in Great Britain.....

[pblossom]

String winders!

[monfoodoo]

Kidding on the Mighty Putty.

[jimd]

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

....Black Pudding. The food of the gods.....

You guys actually eat that stuff? I thought it was a sick joke you pulled on all the tourists!

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

Closely followed by HP Sauce.... the two were made for each other.



THIS is what put the GREAT in Great Britain.....

My wife loves that stuff.

[blacklinefish]

Irrigation.

The wheel, basic metallurgy, construction methods, writing, domestication of plants and animals, and even law preceded civilization. However, it wasn't until water was controlled did we make a great leap in advancing cultures, societies, and civilization.

--gh

[studio1087]

[SMPTE]

Originally Posted by Fatmanstratman

....Black Pudding. The food of the gods.....



Closely followed by HP Sauce.... the two were made for each other.



THIS is what put the GREAT in Great Britain.....

Best explanation yet as to why you never see an "English" restaurant.

[martyb1]

TDPRI
Without it we would not even have this thread