What Innovations Are You Thankful For . .?

[Keith_McClary]

Popular Mechanics Handbook for Women from 1924

 

[epenguin]

Yes people complain about the rate of change. But the convenient innovations are accepted very quickly, it is even soon found that life without them is forgotten.

E.g. before WW2 an uncle I never saw emigrated from Britain to New Zealand. The remaining contact was mainly maintained by my Grandmother who regularly wrote every week or so - that was a role particularly of grandmothers, and had been for a century. Letters were the only contact. (They were at least very reliable.)

Fast forward to the 1960s, in the UK not everybody had a phone at home, and to install one I think needed a six month wait.But that was advanced compared to some other European countries. I didn't have one at home in France and to call Britain was really an exceptional trip to one of the not many phone offices and was complicated. Rarely done, needed a good reason.In Italy and Spain into the 70s, even 80s to get a phone at home you practically needed political connections or else a friend in the phone corporation's office. Public phones were a very bad joke. Even at work phone calls were restricted and rationed. Our son went to university in a different country from us in the early nineties and could phone us from I think I coin-operated phone in his University hall of residence - there was I think one per floor so if we needed to phone him, imagine how easy that was. But then I saw this new invention of mobile phones being advertised, and got him one by his second year, Got one for myself for some years after, it was still thought of as a fancy luxury, not as common as all that yet.But when they really came in they did so fast, everyone can remember a similar story. Well actually maybe we don't even remember, I'm not even sure I remember right.*

But now we can see our grandson and talk with him seeing each other any day, and frequently. And so we could if he were in New Zealand – quite an improvement from Grandma writing a letter and if she got an answer in a fortnight that would be fast.And today I was meeting up with colleagues of the Association of people retired from my ex-employers: I think a year ago I hadn't heard of Zoom. Without it we wouldn't have had any meeting at all, it has arrived fortunately just ahead of the epidermic.

You could say the above combines two strands of technology: telephony and TV. The majority of people will never have known life without a TV, but actually when I first saw one I was surely one of a handful who ever had in our town. Because at that time TV broadcasts in Britain covered only the London region (one channel only) But Dad was a teacher in the BBC engineering training college, so we were able to see occasionally a set, pre-war manufacture I think, with a cathode ray tube about 4 feet long, vertical, and you saw the screen via a mirror. On the exceptional day when the weather and transmission conditions were favourable. Half a decade or so later the transmissions extended over most of the country, and so we were in a different epoch, and no one could imagine life without TV.

Life would obviously be unlivable without these things. People did live without them, but I guess the condition was to not know about them.*I believe that mobile telephony was one of the few technological things where Europe was ahead of America, at least for time.

 

[Mark44]

Just hot water or is the rest of plumbing/sanitation a big issue? Because for me, the fact that I don't have to go outside and squat in a hole is a pretty big quality of life issue.

For me, hot water is much appreciated after a backpack trip of many miles, something I still do regularly even though I am a septuagenarian. I don't mind digging a hole to conduct my business, but it's sure nice to have indoor plumbing at the house.

like the P-38 can opener − it doesn't by itself open cans, but it's an enabler

I think I still have one of them around here somewhere. However, my Victorinox knife has a can-opener attachment, which came in handy one evening in Argentina when no restaurants were open.

 

[StevieTNZ]

Condoms.

 

[cybernetichero]

Keyboards. Writing was the bane of my childhood and my handwriting is still pretty bad, even I can't read some of it. The keyboard has allowed me to spread my wings as far as the written word is concerned. Some years ago I wrote a 600 page SF manuscript, it was BAD and real world science overtook it before I could edit it into something better but I would not have been able to do it without a keyboard. I wish I'd never thrown away my old Imperial manual typewriter (sigh).

Funny story. in about 1982 our school bought 1 (one) Apple computer for the maths department. I had previously done a semester or two of typing (see above) and had muscle memory of hammering the keys on a manual typewriter. I was quickly banned from the computer for fear I would destroy the machine but it didn't have much functionality and was just a tool for teaching the kids BASIC.

 

[sysprog]

For me, hot water is much appreciated after a backpack trip of many miles, something I still do regularly even though I am a septuagenarian. I don't mind digging a hole to conduct my business, but it's sure nice to have indoor plumbing at the house.
I think I still have one of them around here somewhere. However, my Victorinox knife has a can-opener attachment, which came in handy one evening in Argentina when no restaurants were open.

Mmm $-$ Civilian MREs $\dots$

 

[Mark44]

Mmm $-$ Civilian MREs $\dots$

Never tried an MRE, but have tried all sorts of freeze-dried stuff. Mountain House works for me -- especially the Beef Stroganoff and Chile Mac...

 

[Physics guy]

I was just sitting back today thinking of how we live compared with people just 100-200 years ago (or, even people living today in less modernized parts of the world). I often complain of not having this or that and the nuisance of getting spam and fake emails. And, yet, something as simple as email (and a computer with word processing) is a truly remarkable luxury that people just 50 years ago did not have. Mail had to be sent by postal delivery. Word processing was done on cumbersome typewriters.

Air conditioning...indoor plumbing...refrigeration...hell, even electricity...are all quite amazing when compared to their absence just a few decades or hundred years ago.

I am thankful for the labor, creativity, and drive to innovate that so many people of the past had that have made my life so much better. . .Life is not perfect - yes, spam and fake emails annoy me - but I am so much more glad to have to deal with the troubles that innovations bring than to live life without them.

OMG, even Coca-Cola...Five Guys burgers...Lays potato chips...I am so thankful for these food innovations too! It would be torture to imagine not having access to my favorite foods ever again!

Electricity would be on the top of my list

 

[cybernetichero]

Say what you will about the Roman Empire those guys did all that fighting and digging and building and what have you in SANDALS! A gladius in the guts doesn't bother me but stubbed pinkie toes are no laughing matter. The basic design of the shoe you are wearing is relatively recent and before that shoes were more like moccasins than modern ones with either a thin leather sole or a clunky clog like wooden one and came in one size for all.
I live in safety shoes with a rigid cap over the toes (I don't think it's steel, too light but it'll stop a spade blade in the garden) because of the well constructed soles which let me speed walk everywhere.

 

[Klystron]

Say what you will about the Roman Empire those guys did all that fighting and digging and building and what have you in SANDALS!

Romans and other warriors in that time period wore greaves to protect the lower leg in battle, often including pieces or extensions to protect the foot. I forget the Latin name for the 'shoe' piece but it may be related to Dutch 'sabot' or old French 'sabaton'. Sandals were strengthened with various materials to protect the sole and arch against sharpened stakes and inserts or wraps to help protect toes and heels.

Like you, I always wear strong safety shoes at work where crushing injuries are possible.

Consider also New World reinforced sandals such as huaraches. Toes are exposed but somewhat protected from 'stubs' by extending the sole and by the curved pieces over the foot.

 

[Filip Larsen]

Maybe its already been mentioned, but there is an old saying in that particular business that sewage and wastewater engineering on average do more for general public health than the healthcare system. At least, I think that particular invention is a bit underappreciated by many.

 

[sysprog]

The pedal-chain-sprocket drive, connected to wheels, has made a human on a bicycle by far the most energy-efficient self-powered traveler among land animals.

 

[cybernetichero]

Maybe its already been mentioned, but there is an old saying in that particular business that sewage and wastewater engineering on average do more for general public health than the healthcare system. At least, I think that particular invention is a bit underappreciated by many.

I had a doctor say that to me once. If even a medico thinks it's so, against the promptings of professional pride then there must be at least a grain of truth.

 

[cybernetichero]

The pedal-chain-sprocket drive, connected to wheels, has made a human on a bicycle by far the most energy-efficient self-powered traveler among land animals.

What would psychotic computers have to sing about, otherwise?

 

[BWV]

Organic food, oh wait - no I mean artificial fertilizerhttps://ourworldindata.org/grapher/world-population-supported-by-synthetic-nitrogen-fertilizers

 

[BillTre]

I had a doctor say that to me once. If even a medico thinks it's so, against the promptings of professional pride then there must be at least a grain of truth.

This is not a good operating principle.

Any group of people will have a variety of opinions, brilliant to insipid, on any give subject.
There are also a variety of possible adverse motivations: fame, greed, professional advancement, personal dislike/competition, twisted sense of humor...
Doctors are no different. (Nor are physicists, biologists, chemists, or what ever.)
The are plenty of examples of doctors (or any other group) with poor ideas, for example Andrew Wakefield, whom made up a connection between vaccines and autism, which has had bad results.

Putting your faith in some idea should be based on more than the profession of one of the ideas supporters.
The idea should be able stand on its own, in the cold light of thoughtful analysis.

 

[cybernetichero]

This is not a good operating principle.

Any group of people will have a variety of opinions, brilliant to insipid, on any give subject.
There are also a variety of possible adverse motivations: fame, greed, professional advancement, personal dislike/competition, twisted sense of humor...
Doctors are no different. (Nor are physicists, biologists, chemists, or what ever.)
The are plenty of examples of doctors (or any other group) with poor ideas, for example Andrew Wakefield, whom made up a connection between vaccines and autism, which has had bad results.

Putting your faith in some idea should be based on more than the profession of one of the ideas supporters.
The idea should be able stand on its own, in the cold light of thoughtful analysis.

Well no. That shouldn't be taken to be any sort of appeal to authority. Too many doctors become (bad) MPs. On the other hand it's his job to educate his patients on a healthy lifestyle and it would be foolhardy to go to him and then dismiss what he says out of hand. Otherwise, why bother going to see him. It's a sort of middle ground.
As far as standing on it's own, it's plausible but neither history nor archaeology are exact sciences so our knowledge of the effects of sewers on health is anecdotal or circumstantial.

 

[cybernetichero]

The pedal-chain-sprocket drive, connected to wheels, has made a human on a bicycle by far the most energy-efficient self-powered traveler among land animals.

You want the visuals at 1.56

 

[cybernetichero]

neither history nor archaeology are exact sciences

See Rutherford's dictum.

 

[Keith_McClary]

artificial fertilizer

Modern agriculture is a system to convert fossil fuels into food.

 

[cybernetichero]

Modern agriculture is a system to convert fossil fuels into food.

Dune: Hydraulic despotism.

 

[cybernetichero]

We are using the greatest information retrieval system in the history of mankind to discuss which modern invention we are most grateful for. Just thought I would point that out.

I just had a mobile device related "lost time" episode and had a mental image of a Salvation Army band and the placards read, "Resist the Demon Browser".

 

[Keith_McClary]

House of Parliament sauce is not even made in England anymore

Mine says "product of USA".

 

[Digcoal]

I was just sitting back today thinking of how we live compared with people just 100-200 years ago (or, even people living today in less modernized parts of the world). I often complain of not having this or that and the nuisance of getting spam and fake emails. And, yet, something as simple as email (and a computer with word processing) is a truly remarkable luxury that people just 50 years ago did not have. Mail had to be sent by postal delivery. Word processing was done on cumbersome typewriters.

Air conditioning...indoor plumbing...refrigeration...hell, even electricity...are all quite amazing when compared to their absence just a few decades or hundred years ago.

I am thankful for the labor, creativity, and drive to innovate that so many people of the past had that have made my life so much better. . .Life is not perfect - yes, spam and fake emails annoy me - but I am so much more glad to have to deal with the troubles that innovations bring than to live life without them.

OMG, even Coca-Cola...Five Guys burgers...Lays potato chips...I am so thankful for these food innovations too! It would be torture to imagine not having access to my favorite foods ever again!

Communication is, by far, the greatest innovation ever. It is the basis for everything we know today. Without it, all other innovations are impossible. Without it, our perception of reality is not even possible. Gauge bosons communicate the fundamental forces and electrochemical reactions allow your neurons to communicate. The corpus callosum allows high bandwidth communications which results in hemispheric amalgamation to occur giving you a single consciousness. Langauge is the next step after the corpus callosum which allows two minds to begin the formation of a single "master mind." The internet is the most recent iteration in this innovation's evolution, and it is on the cusp of another great revolution as soon as mankind figures out how to organize it the same way our brains are organized.