What's the most influential technical advancement of all time?

[Vic]

Plumbing. Sanitation IS civilization.

 

[DrPizza]

mathematics.
It has influences on almost every other technical advancement.

 

[FrustratedUser]

The wheel

 

[hdeck]

the plow

 

[Kibbo]

Originally posted by: Vic
Plumbing. Sanitation IS civilization.

That's a good one.

Domesticated grains should be up there, too. That changed human society, heck, human evolution, more than anything invented recently. In fact, the only high-tech thing that could come close to equaling that is genetic engineering. But that hasn't had that much impact yet.

Edit: Considering that some point to this as the motivation behind the domestication of grains, you could say Fermentation as well And yes, I'm serious.

 

[Kaieye]

Air conditioning!

 

[Philippine Mango]

Originally posted by: UsandThem
Free internet porn.

Nothing else comes close.

 

[toant103]

the light bulb

 

[Paratus]

Last 50000 yrs
Agriculture

last 500 years
the printing press.

last 50 yearst
cheeze whiz

 

[chrisms]

I think you all should to think about this question differently... what is the most influential advancement, that was not destined to happen anyways? Lanuage was inevitable, as was math, the wheel, and agriculture. But some things, like car engines, microchips, medical technologies, the space shuttle, nuclear weapons, etc. were not such sure things. That's where the question gets interesting. Because if you just go by what was the most important, well then it is fire.. because without knowing how to make fire we'd all be dead.

I personally would go with nuclear weapons, because of the way they completely reshaped the interaction of nations and how one day we will see big things come from them, whether they be good or bad (so far it's been good).

 

[myusername]

best tech

 

[Yossarian]

fire was a pretty good one.

 

[icejunkie]

Dude, the internet. Just think of how void, meaningless, expensive as fvck and boring our lives would be without it...