Most Important Invention/Discovery

[OBW0549]

Beer.

 

[Kerim]

I am afraid there are also important recent discoveries that are not revealed to the multitude (hence not documented as being discoveries); so that they can be used to affect some people's lives without being noticed.
Could you guess one of them in the least?

Kerim

 

[spec]

I have heard that farming is the first industry. Then they needed a way to store fruit and grain so fermenting solves that.
Men (farmers) would have never collected fruit and fermented it except they needed a way to pay the hoers. Coins had not been invented yet.

99%

spec

 

[atferrari]

Vaccine.

Since 1798, allows us to expect all our children to die after us thus being the main reason for humans going out the ecosystem forever, disabling Nature's selection mechanism.

 

[shortbus=]

Beer.

See post #16

 

[shortbus=]

The biggest discover that increase industry and innovation was coffee. When people started boiling water it killed the germs in the water, instead of the alcohol they were drinking. The caffeine took the place of the alcohol and people came "alive" instead of in a half drunk haze. The industrial revolution started and we haven't stopped since.

https://permaculturenews.org/2010/08/11/the-caffeine-did-it/

 

[Pommie]

Forgetting history, what do you think is the newest discovery that will have the biggest impact on the current population? Personally, I think that microbiotics is going to be the new electronics and we are currently where electronics was at the transistor stage. I'd love to hear others opinions.

Mike.

 

[djsfantasi]

The next version of the Internet.

 

[bountyhunter]

There have been many inventions and discoveries that have had a major impact on our lives. In your opinion which is the most important and far reaching: the wheel, penicillin, the aeroplane, the motorcar, paper & writing, or even the transistor. I think I know what it is, What do yo think?

spec

The transistor eventually changed the world the most.

 

[bountyhunter]

The computer

If you mean the original "Turing Machine" that broke the German's enigma code in WW2 that is definitely a contender. Astonishing genius to create that machine.

 

[bountyhunter]

There have been many inventions and discoveries that have had a major impact on our lives. In your opinion which is the most important and far reaching

spec

Look up the so called Funny Fuze aka the proximity detetector fuse. it actually remained classified long after the details of nuclear bombs were widely know. The FF was a radar sending device that allowed an anti aircraft shell to not explode until the radar return pings showed it was at optimum range. It was indispensible at repelling kamikaze attacks. Us Army officiers wanted it for bombardment artillery so it would explode just above the ground instead of when it hit the ground multiplying the killing effect greatly. I think it was only declassified not long ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proximity_fuze

 

[spec]

Look up the so called Funny Fuze aka the proximity detetector fuse. it actually remained classified long after the details of nuclear bombs were widely know. The FF was a radar sending device that allowed an anti aircraft shell to not explode until the radar return pings showed it was at optimum range. It was indispensible at repelling kamikaze attacks. Us Army officiers wanted it for bombardment artillery so it would explode just above the ground instead of when it hit the ground multiplying the killing effect greatly. I think it was only declassified not long ago.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proximity_fuze

Yeah, the miniature proximity fuse was a major war winner. One of the enabling technologies was the ultra small ultra rugged triode used to build the proximity fuse. I read about it in the 1970s, but maybe the specification was still classified. Did the Azon bomb use the same technology?. Britain also used the triodes for special applications, when they could get them that is.

spec

 

[ronsimpson]

While these WWII things are interesting the whole world ware is almost nothing in history. Those that watched Rome burn, thought the entire world changed. Can you recall who invaded from the North?

Most Important Invention/Discovery

To get in the top 10 it must be something that effects us all for 1000s of years. The bow and arrow effected more people (killed more) than big bombs. Wheels behind horses causes empires to rise and fall. While not in the top 10, black powder changed the balance of power again. Sails on ships, allowing the Vikings to storm across Europe is a small bump in history.

The reason this question is hard is because the answer is in antiquity. It is some thing so common that we take it for granted.

 

[killivolt]

No criticism from me. The title is "Most Important Invention/Discovery". Fire was a discovery, so it fits.

"Cloths and shelter" are both discovery and inventions, but fire or the ability to make fire is special.

Fire "starting" actually dates as far back some say possibly to the "Ice Man" and before https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_striker.

Having fire is one thing but, to actually make it affectively provided opportunities to explore and be safe during the night providing future development of culture.

Sharing of information occurs and night as the stories of life and events are kept and language progressively evolves. Socialization of people as groups are elevated from the night and all the dark places and things that exist beyond the darkness and disparity.

kv

 

[bountyhunter]

Yeah, the miniature proximity fuse was a major war winner. One of the enabling technologies was the ultra small ultra rugged triode used to build the proximity fuse. I read about it in the 1970s, but maybe the specification was still classified. Did the Azon bomb use the same technology?. Britain also used the triodes for special applications, when they could get them that is.

spec

The documentary I saw on it said the key was getting just the right blend of solder that could withstand the massive g forces and not fracture. It is hard to believe there was a vacuum tube that could be fired out of artillery and still be functional.

 

[spec]

The documentary I saw on it said the key was getting just the right blend of solder that could withstand the massive g forces and not fracture. It is hard to believe there was a vacuum tube that could be fired out of artillery and still be functional.

Yes, it was an amazing achievement- didn't remember about solder being so critical, but it was a long time ago that I read about the development of the proximity fuse.

In the valve (tube) computer era, I can't understand why they didn't optimize the design of the valves more, say along there lines.
(1) Anode operating voltage: 24V
(2) Typical anode current 500uA
(3) Heater current: no heater
(4) Mode: enhancement
(5) Grid threshold: 18V
(6) Anode saturation voltage: 12V
(6) Size: 0.5 inch cube
(7) Reliability: N hours

I suspect that a valve like the above could have been mass produced, rather like the transistor was.

It is understandable why Tommy Flowers used standard valves for Colossus because that is all he had during WW2. He also had a load of unfounded criticism for taking the valve route rather than relays.

spec

 

[ronsimpson]

I can't understand why they didn't optimize the design of the valves more, say along there lines.

LOL
I can think of many reasons why they did not make a heater-less low voltage valve/tube. (while in the middle of a war, under extreme material shortages, with no time)

 

[spec]

LOL
I can think of many reasons why they did not make a heater-less low voltage valve/tube. (while in the middle of a war, under extreme material shortages, with no time)

I already implied that Ron. Valve computers didn't end with the War

Even so, a bit more development on the valve front would have paid big dividends. They developed many other areas during the war.
It is all a mater of balance... and money.

spec

 

[nsaspook]

I already implied that Ron. Valve computers didn't end with the War

Even so, a bit more development on the valve front would have paid big dividends. They developed many other areas during the war.
It is all a mater of balance... and money.

spec

Vacuum tube were used in some digital devices designed in the 50's until the 1990's. One type of device was the KW(RT)-37. The decoding unit used 500 subminiature vacuum tubes (three for each flip-flop.) in its digital logic circuits. I actually repaired a few Navy operational units in the early 80's. It was pretty amazing seeing a digital fibonacci series generator made from 1950's tube circuits.
http://qa.geeksforgeeks.org/1389/fibonacci-encryption-and-decryption
**broken link removed**

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KW-37
http://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_6088.html

 

[atferrari]

https://www.radiomuseum.org/tubes/tube_6088.html

What is actually 6 and 10 mm long? Diameter seems to be 10.

If no sockets, how were they assembled? Soldered straight to the PCB?