What 20th century development most changed the world? (no spam)

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 11:29 am

As above. Just one. It can be turn-of-the-century, but the main thrust of the invention or idea has to be within the 20th century.

Have at it.

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 11:31 am

Airplanes.

Their impact on military strategy and tactics is immeasurable. Plus their commercial use is so pervasive we would be sorely remiss to think that anything else has been more influential in the previous century.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 11:32 am

The transistor and/or semi conductor. Just choose your word!

Weasel · Post by **Weasel** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 11:33 am

Since HLD took mine..I will follow with Computers.

HighLordDave · Post by **HighLordDave** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 11:35 am

Originally posted by Weasel
Since HLD took mine

And if Flanders or Mr Flibble ever read this, I just want them to notice how short my answer was; didn't even need to enter HLD Mode™ . . .

Bloodstalker · Post by **Bloodstalker** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 11:36 am

The development of the desktop PC.

Has changed how everyone conducts their business, keeps records, etc.

Minerva · Post by **Minerva** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 11:38 am

Nuclear Arms.

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 11:38 am

The automobile. Broke up the nuclear family structure in much of Europe and the urban Americas and Asia, at the least. Created suburban sprawl, and altered the function of cities.

Gwalchmai · Post by **Gwalchmai** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 11:56 am

I was going to say The Marshalltown Trowel, but I see that they were first made in 1893. Drat.

But really, I might suggest that the U.S. State Highway system of the 1920s drastically changed the face of the United States. Not the whole world, though.

Rob-hin · Post by **Rob-hin** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 12:04 pm

Well, it kind of hard to say isn't it?
I mean, if it wasn't for computers, we wouldn't have really big airplanes to name one thing. And I think that everything connects in one way or another. So it's not "just one thing" so to speak.

But to name just one thing, I'd have to go for the combustion engine.

Ned Flanders · Post by **Ned Flanders** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 12:07 pm

Reading through the thread, I was waiting for someone to say the combustion engine. I'm with rob-hin.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 12:28 pm

The transistor is the basis for the computerised communication society. Radio, TV, cell phones, compouters. I truly think it has changed the world more than any other 20th century invention.

Rob-hin · Post by **Rob-hin** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 12:46 pm

@mental_nomad
I think they are all inventions. Even though Penecillin is natural based.

RandomThug · Post by **RandomThug** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 1:15 pm

Topic says Development, not invention. So I'd say AIDS. A disease that came out of no where and is affecting so many people (more than most of my fellow americans know cause the news dont report it and the papers dont talk about it). Its a development that has changed the world distinctly (not for the better of course).

thug

Mr Flibble · Post by **Mr Flibble** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 1:23 pm

I'm going to agree with CE and go with the transistor.

@HLD, that has to be your shortest post ever

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 2:22 pm

Nice to see you are with me, Flibble

The internal combustion engine was invented in 1860 by Otto. In 1883, Daimler invented a gas driven combustion engine. Benz built the world's first practical automobile powered by an internal combustion engine in 1885. And in 1897 the diesel driven engine came around.

Yshania · Post by **Yshania** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 2:36 pm

Penicillin - do discoveries count? Otherwise I will go with the micro-chip

fable · Post by **fable** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 3:10 pm

Any discovery, idea or invention counts.

InfiniteNature · Post by **InfiniteNature** » Thu Aug 29, 2002 3:16 pm

In all the discoveries and development I cannot believe that people have skipped over rocketry, the most significant and widespread invention in the twentieth century.

With the development of rocketry engines came the first jet planes, derived originally from Nazi rockets. With the development of rocketry also came the development of ballistic missiles, which allowed nations such the US and Russia to threaten each other with nuclear destruction. With rocketry, came the space program and the orbiting of satellites, which had many other side benefits. Such as satellite T.V. Weather satellites(old days hurricane warnings usually only had a few days of warning.), many of the cell phones are powered by satellite networks, these satellites directly being attributed to rocket launches.

The vaunted GPS system would not have been possible without the development of rocketry, guidance systems, transistors etc. would have been no more than labratory curiousities if not for their need to power nuke missiles being developed at the time.

So anyway that is just my spiel for my 20thcentury development.