What throughout history has been the best technological advancement ever?

[Ez-Bri-Z_v2]

Maybe it's the internet, the phone, vaccines, the gun, written language, currency? What is it to you?

[MrOracle]

Arguably:

1. Farming (it was not possible to have specialized occupations before agriculture, and it was specialized occupations that allowed all other things to advance).

2. Electricity. It literally powers nearly everything in our modern lives.

3. Petroleum. Not only does it power most of the world, it also provides the base chemicals that almost everything today is made from - not just plastics but EVERYTHING. Even if we replaced all ENERGY needs with electricity (be it nuke or solar or whatever), we would still need lots of petroleum for all the other things we do.

4. Communications. That includes radio (broadcast and 2-way, such as cell phones), TV, Internet, and other forms. The ability to move information around the globe in a timely fashion changed how we all live.

5. Antibiotics. 20-30% of people during non-war times used to die of infections (the numbers were quite a bit worse during war time) that have been MOSTLY eliminated with antibiotics. It's not a 100% solution, to be sure - we still lose around 2% from infections - but the change has been massive. Imagine 25% of your high school graduating class dying by age 35 because of infections that we shrug at today.

[RavVid]

It has to be the inner spring mattress.

Just think about what the female experience of sex was like before than because cowgirl didn't exist in 1870. At least it was comfortable after the inner spring. The inventor, Mr Heinrich Westphal, was getting knocked back by his wife a lot I expect. It might have more his eyes that were the problem for her.

prezi.com/p/k_m53ipsr6af/heinrich-westphal/

[Nikki1989]

Medical advancements. Without them, we probably wouldn't be here.

[northerngal]

I would say the printing press.

[Telekinetic-Potato]

Fast fourier transform (FFT) which is super hard for me to explain but it's what almost all of our wireless technology relies on. You can watch a video on YouTube about it that and you'll get the gist of it.

[RavVid]

I am impressed FFT has been mentioned. The frequency domain is much easier to work in though that is about as much as I can remember now.

[RetroReviews]

For the average consumer I'm going to say the smartphone, it's had both positive and negative effects. I'm sure you could have a very rigorous and lengthy debate over that topic of the pros and cons

[adventurous-1]

Fire and then the wheel were very important achievements but I feel the transistor had the greatest impact on out tech development. Look at how much and how fast we've progressed since we developed it, and all the things that followed.

[thearchjoker]

Farming is the invention that made the rest of civilisation possible, Medicine, Nations, Electricity, Culture, Arts, The Internet, and so on are all possible thanks to the invention of Farming

[BetaBucks]

Antibiotics. Or cocaine. Actually, cocaine. Fuck antibiotics.

[Phoenix98]

Probably electricity followed by refrigeration.

[bowenw]

I would say electricity, the automobile, and advances in medicine.

[dreamstar72]

The wheel because without it we would still be a bunch of idiots.

[genericname85]

probably the wheel. i mean imagine not having the wheel. we wouldn't be going anywhere.

[TedBr]

The printing press, electricity and medical process

[OddBeMe]

I’ve read engineers on this. They say the arch, wheel and microchip. At least what I’ve read.

[nawtee_me]

I like this new stuff the FDA approved last week. It is called traumagel

[nawtee_me]

www.fastcompany.com/.../traumagel-cresilon-fda-approval

[Anonymous]

Industrial lathe invented in 1751 by Jacques Vaucanson, it made the industrial revolution possible.

[NathanDavis]

BBQ's... no doubt

[katiesmuff]

I'll add transportation to your list

[Jennz6]

The Space Force

[Anonymous]

Birth control and period apps

[RedInnocent69]

The wheel was legend.

[msc545]

The printing press and the semiconductor.

[Drewtate]

Soap.

[Agape93]

Writing

[Nerdvana]

Paper Money