TOP 25: TECHNOLOGICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
1) ?
2) Defense technology
3) Alternative fuel vehicles
4) Biotechnology
5) Computers
6) Lasers
7) Genomics
8) Global finance
9) Processors
10) Digital storage
11) Space
12) Fiber optics
13) Satellite TV & radio
14) DNA testing
15) Video games
16) Biometrics
17) Energy and water savers
18) Scanning tunneling microscopes
19) Batteries
20) E-baggage
21) Remote controls
22) Animal cloning
23) Manufacturing technology
24) The big picture
25) Weather technology
Advances that transformed how the world communicates are among the top 25
technological breakthroughs of the past quarter century, according to a panel
of experts assembled by CNN.
Ref. https://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/04/01/cnn25.t...logy/index.html
What do you think will be number one?
I would think the Internet is the #1 technological breakthrough. I didn't see an equivalent of it on the list. The Internet has allowed us to do things that before would have taken much longer or required us to leave our homes. On a smaller scale, E-mail can also be considered a breakthrough, and I don't see that on the list either. It will be interesting to see what does end up as #1.
Since these are the top ways people communicate and since both the internet and e-mail require a computer, I think they consider this to be covered by the technological break through of computers, which is on the list.
I think there is little question of the revolution which has come about because of e-mail and the internet. However, neither of these would be possible without the computer first. Maybe that is what the compilers of the list were thinking.
I think that this list is woefully inadequate. There are so very many technological breakthroughs that were FAR more important than anything on the list. All of the items on the list depend on the more important things.
This is NOT to diminish the importance of the incredible communications advances. Now, if the list was meant to deal with advances in the last 30 years, then I would agree completely.
My number one technological advance would be the ability to measure accurately, precisely, and repeatably to .001" (one thousandth of an inch). Without this ability NONE of the other technological advances would have been possible. The further advances in measuring technology were also very, very important, but with the ability to measure to .001", manufacturing and quality really took off.
My number two technology would have to be the steam engine. Again, without this extremely vital source of power, no other real advances would have been possible.
As far as the list goes, wouldn't the development of the IC chip (Integrated Circuit) rate as number 1? Again, without the IC chip, the list is useless.