History's most underrated inventions.

[Ranger REG]

I don't know why I never said this before.

The most underrated and unappreciated and unsung invention:

The Pause button on almost every electronic devices. Without that, I could seriously damage myself if I have to watch the extended LOTR film (one or all three) in one sitting, while ignoring nature calls.

 

[cattoy]

I figure the most overlooked inventions are typically ones that have no physical form or no one set physical form.

Money, the abstraction of wealth that can be freely converted from form to form is pretty important.

Intellectual Property, or the ability to take credit and benefit from innovation is a driving force in encouraging innovation.

On an entirely unrelated tack, I'd like to thank Mr. Hugh Heffner for coming up with Playboy and everything associated with it.

 

[Wild Gazebo]

That's funny...those are three things that I think are completely overrated.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Does anyone remember the Learning Channel's "Connections"? It was all about a minor thing leading a major through simple connecting elements. I don't remember specifics but I enjoyed the show while it lasted.

Awesome show. Connections was hosted by James Burke, author of The Day The Universe Changed. It looks at history in terms of relationships, rather than as a series of events ordered in time.

Also, I'll cast a vote for money. I could imagine that a decent argument could be made that money makes possible not only modern society, but also many of the modern ideals like freedom, individuality, and human rights, by virtue of the divorce of value from material.

 

[Starman]

Now there's a good point.

The Aztecs had the wheel, but they lived in terrain wheels were of little use in, and they saw no need to change things so they could use their wheels. The Spanish had wheels and had developed the technology, infrastructure, and society necessary for their use. They needed wheels, so they needed to change things in Central Mexico so they could use their wheels.

The Aztecs and well, everyone else living in the Americas pre-horse, also suffered from a distinct lack of draft animals which made the wheel a lot less practical. You can't have large carts or wagons without something to pull them.

 

[mythusmage]

The Aztecs and well, everyone else living in the Americas pre-horse, also suffered from a distinct lack of draft animals which made the wheel a lot less practical. You can't have large carts or wagons without something to pull them.

The Aztecs et. al. had lots of draft animals. Two legged draft animals, but able to pull carts and small wagons. They didn't have the terrain. Or the incentive to modify that terrain for wheeled vehicles.

When Cortez and his crew arrived the Aztec economy had not reached the point where something able to carry more than an individual man could was necessary. From all indications, the Aztecs never foresaw such a thing. Porters sufficed in the past, porters would suffice in the future. Had the Spaniards been delayed a century or so maybe the population of Central Mexico would've expanded to the point pushcarts or primitive wheelbarrows would've been necessary. Then again, maybe not.

Don't forget what the pre-Sumerian people of Mesopotamia were doing with cattle. And cattle, by and large, are a nasty, ill-tempered bunch compared to bison. Given a good reason the plains tribes might have made the transition from dogs to buffalo.

 

[DreadPirateMurphy]

Mythusmage, I have to agree with Starman on the draft animals thing.

The ratio of force to feed you get out of a horse or ox is better than what you get out of a human. Add a horse collar or yoke and you get even more disparity.

The Aztecs did not have easy access to bison, and even if they had, bison are not the easiest animal to domesticate. To quote the article below, "Bison are very fast, powerful and mean...They are very hard to handle and they are very hard to own from an economic perspective."

http://www.law.virginia.edu/home2002/html/news/2002_fall/bison.htm

Keep in mind that it wasn't until the 1950s or '60s that ranchers effectively crossbred bison with domestic cattle to try and get the best qualities of both. The result was a 3/4 bison hybrid. Most people aren't aware that such crossbreeding took place.

As to the question of whether or not there was a pressing need to carry more than what a man can carry...the question is not one of need, but one of efficiency. The collection and distribution of grains and other agricultural products are more effective in bulk. An animal can actually pull far more than they would consume during the journey, and a single farmer can move a large volume of produce with limited assistance.

 

[mythusmage]

Mythusmage, I have to agree with Starman on the draft animals thing.

The ratio of force to feed you get out of a horse or ox is better than what you get out of a human. Add a horse collar or yoke and you get even more disparity.

The Aztecs did not have easy access to bison, and even if they had, bison are not the easiest animal to domesticate. To quote the article below, "Bison are very fast, powerful and mean...They are very hard to handle and they are very hard to own from an economic perspective."

http://www.law.virginia.edu/home2002/html/news/2002_fall/bison.htm

Keep in mind that it wasn't until the 1950s or '60s that ranchers effectively crossbred bison with domestic cattle to try and get the best qualities of both. The result was a 3/4 bison hybrid. Most people aren't aware that such crossbreeding took place.

As to the question of whether or not there was a pressing need to carry more than what a man can carry...the question is not one of need, but one of efficiency. The collection and distribution of grains and other agricultural products are more effective in bulk. An animal can actually pull far more than they would consume during the journey, and a single farmer can move a large volume of produce with limited assistance.

Thing is, the animal domestic cattle are descended from was even worse than bison. The gaur of South-East Asia, ancestor to the water buffalo, is considered one of the most dangerous animals to Man in the world. Yes, it would take some effort to domestic bison, but as we've learned from the domestication of the silver fox, not as much as you might think. Google 'horse whispering' sometime and check out all the zebra breeders on the web.

BTW, I was referring to the North American plains Indian when talking about bison.

And don't underestimate humans. While not as 'capable' as horses or oxen, we're not all that weak either. With something like a handcart, wheelbarrow, or bicycle we've been known to haul substantial amounts. When necessity makes its demands known things tend to happen.

 

[Rel]

And don't underestimate humans. While not as 'capable' as horses or oxen, we're not all that weak either. With something like a handcart, wheelbarrow, or bicycle we've been known to haul substantial amounts. When necessity makes its demands known things tend to happen.

It's true! I once saw Conan push this big windlass thing for like 20 years non-stop!

 

[mythusmage]

It's true! I once saw Conan push this big windlass thing for like 20 years non-stop!

And every Christmas millions of apprentice angels get their wings.