What was the most significant (in a positive way) invention of the 20th century?
Please try to limit your response to ONE invention . . . The one 20th century invention that you feel had the most beneficial impact on our world and on our species. Limit your responses to inventions that first saw the light of day during that one century. For example, some might feel that the wheel was humanity's paramount invention, but the wheel has been with us for some 3,500 years! Same goes for the radio, which certainly changed our lives for the better, but its introduction dates back to the late 19th century.
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The Internet, because now, because of the Internet, you can access nearly all the information in the world, find the best route from your house to anywhere, keep in touch with friends and family, apply for jobs, renew your library book, buy just about anything and see the latest news. One day I learned about spoonbill bow steamboats and another day I learned about whipping cream biscuits. Not sure what I will earn tomorrow on the Net. It is an amazing invention.
Otterpop
Level 6
June 2, 2018
4
The birth control pill. Enovid in 1960 became the 1st birth control pill approved by the FDA. It freed women of the burden of constant pregnancies & men of the responsibilities they could not possibly meet. It reduced the amount of abandoned families, infantacide, deaths from toxic abortions, malnutrition, abandoned children, orphan trains, crime from lawless child gangs, the homeless, the destitute, poverty related death, & much poverty itself as folks were able to limit the size of their families. Contraception was illegal until 1965. The Supreme Court ruled in Griswald vs Conneticut that the government had no right to prevent parents from using birth control
Mooolah
Level 8
June 2, 2018
3
I took Enovid in the 60's. The huge amount of estrogen gave headaches, nausea, and high blood pressure, but, I didn't care. It kept me from getting pregnant. Now the birth control pill has a tenth of the amount that the Enovid had, and work just as well. An amazing breakthrough for women.
@Wisewoman3 Yes. The pill was way too strong years ago. Now it is much reduced in potency & is used for other medical disfunctions. But it saved me from unwanted pregnancy also.
@Countrywoman I prescribed lo dose pills to every woman who wanted to pill, when I was working. I occasionally prescribed the mini pill( progestin only), but it was not quite as effective. I put in a ton of IUDs, which are great. A lot of woman tried Depo and implants, but didn't like them very well. Since I retired 3 years ago, I have not kept up with all the newest BC methods. I loved taking care of pregnant women and delivering babies, but loved working with them to get them on the right birth control. To think that all of this started with Enovid. A wonderful discovery.
@Wisewoman3 Blessings from the cosmos to you
Definitely the banana slicer, hands down!
Just kidding. Without a doubt, Computers.
SecularSurfer
Level 5
June 2, 2018
2
Facebook! It has given the man in the street a powerful voice, allowed people to group together and stand against oppresion.
Harry_Worth
Level 4
June 2, 2018
2
Powered flight which led to the space program and our much deeper understanding of the universe.
schwinnrider
Level 6
June 2, 2018
2
Probably one vaccine or another objectively speaking but I’d like to think it’s the DARPA network that evolved into the internet. It’s certainly been the most influential invention on society, with some good and bad aspects but the net outcome remains to be seen. I still think it’s doing more good than harm so far, in connecting us all and allowing us to break out of provincial world views, express and educate ourselves relatively freely. For now.
Wurlitzer
Level 8
June 2, 2018
2
Not universal, but Air Conditioning is the only invention that has made the mass colonization of this mosquito-infested sack of humidity called Florida possible. As to whether that is a good thing or a bad thing, that's a much broader topic. But here's to you, Dr. Carrier. I <3 your invention!
seaspot_run
Level 7
June 4, 2018
1
The automobile. Revolutionized our lifestyles, moved goods around better and faster, faster communication, (mail), faster medical assistance, fresher foods, gave more personal space, (suburbs) and numerous other modes of transportation.
PickledRick
Level 8
June 3, 2018
1
The personal computer, which allowed Google search to come about.
It allows all people to leap frog over the gate keepers and find things out for themselves
birdingnut
Level 8
June 2, 2018
1
Microwave oven. Less energy used.
Edit.. I dunno... There's so many things 
Ellatynemouth
Level 8
June 2, 2018
1
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