Impact of Scientific Ideas

cscott

What are some scientific ideas you think had the greatest impact on society? It'd be nice to have a few that aren't "obvious."

(don't mention the transistor )

FredGarvin

Here's one that I think is vastly overlooked:
The discovery/development of the phase transformations of steel. Just try to think of where this world would be today without the use of steel as we know it.

GENIERE

[QUOTE=cscott]What are some scientific ideas you think had the greatest impact on society? It'd be nice to have a few that aren't "obvious."...[QUOTE]

This might be obvious, but I think the “internet” has had the greatest impact on society.


.

quark

Wheel and paper

ZapperZ

[QUOTE=GENIERE][QUOTE=cscott]What are some scientific ideas you think had the greatest impact on society? It'd be nice to have a few that aren't "obvious."...Unless I misread something, the "internet" was more of a "military idea" than a scientific idea.

The world wide web, on the other hand, came out of a scientific need to share data.

Zz.

Claude Bile

The engine, that is, the concept of turning chemical energy into mechanical energy.

Claude.

Mk

Oil + heat + food = yum!