What is the greatest human achievement of the 20th Century ...?

Question

for its seeming impossibility and symbolism, I vote for the Apollo moon landing (and yes, it did happen!)

does not necessarily mean "invention"

Answer 1

The Wonder Bra & Spandex!!!!

Answer 2

Oh, I like Apollo, too. What a program. Changed our world. From Kennedy's "before this decade is out, of sending a man to the moon and returning him safely to the Earth" to Neil Armstrong blowing his line nine years later (regardless of what some revisionist computer hacker can make of "one small step for man"). It was collossal, and because of television, We Were There (thanks, Uncle Walt!).
And I like flight, and plastics, and yes, Spandex, and television, and other discoveries. The wars and cold wars were just blips on the radar - changed nothing but the criminals sitting in charge, really. Russia may be smaller, but is Putin relly any less of a maniac than old Shoe-Pounder Khruchev? I think not.

In the end, I would have to vote for the Internet. It seems to be having every bit as large an impact on the way we live (from the subtle to the obvious) as any other invention or discovery or system or effort, and it affects virtually EVERYBODY. It changed how we study, communicate, work, play, learn, buy, sell ... you name it.
Oh, there are probably very very few squatting against buildings who don't "believe in the Internet," but there are literally millions who don't "believe man walked on the moon."
The Internet can undo history!
That's real power.
Now I've gone and scared myself.

Answer 3

Individual transportation. I know the car was invented in the 1800's, but it being put into wide spread use in the 1900's is what I'm citing. Without the auto. we would not be advanced as we are. Without the auto. we'd have less roads (like the interstates) trucking wouldn't exist like it does today. That would mean less trade.

Answer 4

I would venture to say that it was the space technologies that have spilled over and improved the quality of our daily lives: personal computers and the miniaturized components that led to credit-card size calculators, cell 'phones, improved communications, fiber optics, the Internet, materials for construction, new and improved insulation materials, more durable lightweight plastics for our homes and the workplace, advancements and improvements in manufacturing and related technologies and robotics, improvement and advances in optics, better quality control, digital technology that has spread worldwide as well as the use of computers, etc.

Answer 5

Flight -- it allowed for closer relationships and improved communications in the world community. It also provided for the introduction to the space age: the moon landing, expansion of our knowledge of earths's place in the universe; numerous inventions and technology, etc.

And then, there's ROCK 'N ROLL !!!!!!!

Answer 6

More respect for Human Rights,tribunal to most brutal and fascists in our century F.exam: Nazi's, Milosevic,Saddam.More respect for democracy and cooperation between nations on international level ,revolution in communications (computer),advanced digital instruments in health..

Answer 7

The computer! Nothing else comes close. With no other invention can you get so much high quality porn and all for free! God bless you Alan Turing.

Answer 8

Computer, Internet

Answer 9

That is a good question. I am going to have to chew on that for a while...

The moon is a good one but that was basically done by my countrymen, not humanity.
I would say the fight against communism and the fall thereof. It was a group effort.

Answer 10

not blowing themselves and the planet to smithereens, apparently this event has been delayed to the 21st century to coincide with the 2nd coming and other similar events

Answer 11

Surviving it with out bombing ourselves into the fossil record. But we might be able to fix that in this century.