I think it would be the printing press by Guttenberg. Now books and the power of reading were available to the masses. Societies went from illiterate to literate.
Without it, knowledge would not have been preserved and passed on and accumulated, and all other inventions/developments would not have occurred.
2007-09-04 15:22:34 · 11 answers · asked by Dylan 2 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
I agree that Gutenberg's printing press was the key to spreading learning, but the case for the wheel is also clear.
Gutenberg was named the Man of the Millenium for his invention by Time Magazine.
Although the invention of the wheel can't be pinned down to a particular society, much less an individual, we do know that the societies that had the wheel first were all in Asia and the Middle East. These progressed faster than other societies. In the Americas, the wheel was NOT invented and progress was along a different line.
2007-09-04 16:05:51 · answer #1 · answered by loryntoo 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Printing press was responsible for creating an information explosion.
Electricity was not an invention but a discovery that led to invention ot the electric motor and the light bulb.
The motor created the Industrial explosion of production.
The light bulb was necessary for reading books from printing press which created the information explosion.
2007-09-05 05:17:55 · answer #2 · answered by goring 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a tie
1. The printing press - Responsible for the exponential explosion of information that became the framework and the shape of things to come (to borrow from a favorite short story of mine.)
2. Dynamite - Imagine construction, especially road construction in mountainous regions, without it. No Eisenhower tunnel for those pretty little wheels to roll through, huh?
Anything else, including pizza, the wheel, and the white widow strain is just icing on the cake.
2007-09-05 02:31:42 · answer #3 · answered by john l 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Writing. Even Gutenberg's printing press would be useless without some set of symbols used to mass ideas from one person to another.
Now, Gutenberg has a source for his printing press.
Combine these two together and you have the best invention of all times.
Imagine a world without anyway to communicate over long distances, or even short distances.
2007-09-05 01:13:00 · answer #4 · answered by SgtMoto 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The transistor. Sure it's a recent invention, but its ripples have so completely engulfed mankind in such a short period of time as to make it the most worldwide social catalyst in history.
Either that or individually wrapped cheese slices.
2007-09-04 22:31:50 · answer #5 · answered by Ice 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
it is the wheel. its invention encouraged travel, discovery and sharing of cultures. in wagons and mills they increased farm production, and less farm work gave people the chance to dream of conquests (while on chariots).
the principle of the wheel and axle was also used in later machines and inventions, including the printing press
2007-09-04 22:35:51 · answer #6 · answered by bitoy 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'd say the alphabet and writing itself.
Everything you said, but at an earlier point in history.
2007-09-04 23:40:40 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The light
2007-09-04 22:30:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
whatever dude. Oven baked pizza. That stuff rules. you know? like Digornio and stuff. they have this garlic bread pizza thats the bomb bro.
2007-09-04 22:32:05 · answer #9 · answered by nickname 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
TV.
2007-09-04 22:33:47 · answer #10 · answered by alomi_revolution 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋