# What is the greatest invention ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 9, 2012, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896 "2012-01-09T05:29:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/81 "2012-01-13T00:06:57Z")
It really can’t be said to be on the magnitude of the wheel or semiconductors, but for sheer electromechanical coolness, it’s hard to beat a Linotype. ---
**Author:** ![bartleby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bartleby/32/10491_2.png) [@bartleby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bartleby)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/82 "2012-01-13T15:46:06Z")
Atomic Lobsters. gotta go with atomic lobsters… ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/83 "2012-01-13T16:04:16Z")
This system of thinking has solved more problems than all the world’s philosphies or religions. And: cartesian coordinate systems: probably the mother of all information systems. I salute you, Rene-thanks to you, we have modern science. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/84 "2012-01-13T16:18:38Z")
The cause of, and solution to all lifes problems! ---
**Author:** ![Indian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@Indian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indian)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/85 "2012-01-13T16:59:30Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > The cause of, and solution to all lifes problems! Beer should be ranked along with sliced bread mentioned upthread. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/86 "2012-01-13T17:17:12Z")
The Television Remote Control, aka The Switcher. Why? Because before it was invented, we had to get up and walk all the way across the room to change the channel. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/87 "2012-01-13T17:26:11Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The Television Remote Control, aka The Switcher. > > Why? Because before it was invented, we had to get up and walk all the way across the room to change the channel. Those were dark times indeed. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/88 "2012-01-13T18:15:57Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > Those were dark times indeed. Until The Clapper was invented. ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/89 "2012-01-13T18:29:40Z")
Internet… "All the lonely people, where do they all belong?? ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/90 "2012-01-13T18:36:38Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The Television Remote Control, aka The Switcher. aka The Clicker. ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/91 "2012-01-14T07:32:11Z")
While they occurred much later than domestication of horses, three inventions revolutionized human civilization: The horse collar, the plough, and the stirrup. The horse-collar made it possible to leverage the strength of a horse for mechanical purposes without injury to the horse. The plough, particularly in combination with the horse-and-collar, made possible the large-scale cultivation of land, magnitudes beyond what a family could accomplish with every member wielding a hoe. The yeild led to consumable surplusses which allowed specialization of roles and skills and subsequent heirarchical organization of society. The stirrup, useless without a steed, yeilded special results with horses. Unlike mules (asses, donkeys, burros, etcetera) a horse is stupid enough to be coerced into dangerous situations – particularly combat. Stirrups made riding possible (though there are various native tribes known particularly for their skill at riding bareback) in Europe and mounted riding changed the nature (or perhaps just the efficacy) of warfare, imperialism, conquest, and colonialism. Rather than negotiate, barter, trade, and assimilate economically and culturally, a group deploying horse-mounted aggressors could simply vanquish foreign territories, thereby retaining its culture and taking whatever consumables it wanted. If it so chose, it could even go so far as to force the vanquished to adopt its own culture Note, however, that without the horse-collar and horse-drawn plough, a society could not generate enough surplus to support a dedicated warrior class. –G! ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2012, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896/92 "2012-01-14T15:32:19Z")
Indoor plumbing is at least the one I appreciate the most. I’ve never lived without it, but people I know who have agree with me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-greatest-invention-ever/608896.md?page=4)