From toilet paper to the simple spear — these are some of the best inventions that have blessed us with their usability. Sadly, they get overshadowed by the more famous creations of geniuses and other great people. There is no use in arguing with the truth that the best inventions of all time have been pushed to the side in favor of more famous ones. It's vitally important to understand their value and usefulness to us.
The best invention is one we ignore but still impacts our lives. Take farming, for example — one of the most important inventions ever. It helped create cities and laid the foundation for other great inventions too. If we were to compare the achievements of humanity, this might be the best invention ever. And yet, it’s overshadowed by vaccines, antibiotics, and other late-stage human creations.
Luckily for us, one person did raise the question of such inventions. User pdjmcvit asked on the popular AskReddit a question vital to humanity — “In your opinion, what was the best invention ever?” We compiled some of the best answers given and put them in the list below. Since there are so many of them, leave an upvote on the ones you think are most important. On the other hand, share some more inventions in the comments below.
#1
"Corrective lenses/glasses. I (and millions of others) would be so screwed without them."
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68points
#3
entertheskraw wrote:
"The toilet... and we wanna get deeper than that, sewer systems."
"The toilet... and we wanna get deeper than that, sewer systems."
Villhellm replied:
"I think people grossly underestimate the miracle of indoor plumbing. You sh*t in a ceramic bowl and your poop f*cking disappears. Then you wash your hands in water that appears as if from nowhere by turning a f*cking knob. I'd take having a toilet and sink in my house over plastics, wheels, or any of the other sh*t people are coming up with in this thread."
"I think people grossly underestimate the miracle of indoor plumbing. You sh*t in a ceramic bowl and your poop f*cking disappears. Then you wash your hands in water that appears as if from nowhere by turning a f*cking knob. I'd take having a toilet and sink in my house over plastics, wheels, or any of the other sh*t people are coming up with in this thread."
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55points
#4
"Refrigeration in general. Think of all the lives saved just by being able to keep our food cold."
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43points
#5
"Penicillin. It was the first antibiotic and it paved the way for all the cures that modern medicine offers."
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43points
#7
putterbum wrote:
"The printing press."
"The printing press."
putterbum replied:
"The internet is just recently starting to be available to third world countries and to the impoverished, where books have no cost of operation other than the purchase, and is easily transferable in those areas. The internet is extremely important but the printing press sped up intellectual advancement like nothing else."
"The internet is just recently starting to be available to third world countries and to the impoverished, where books have no cost of operation other than the purchase, and is easily transferable in those areas. The internet is extremely important but the printing press sped up intellectual advancement like nothing else."
34points
#8
"As a Type 1 Diabetic, my vote goes for Artificial Insulin. Would literally be dead by now without it."
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34points
#9
"Farming. No other possible idea can compete with the ability to have food through out the year. It lead to civilisation and to the rise of humanity as the most dominant creature ever. There has never been and probably never will be an invention that has changed the world as much as farming has."
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33points
#10
Commenter No. 1 wrote:
"Generating electricity has served us pretty well."
"Generating electricity has served us pretty well."
Sumit316 replied:
"Generating Electricity and having a control over it is really one massive achievement of humanity. Opening doors for almost everything we have today."
"Generating Electricity and having a control over it is really one massive achievement of humanity. Opening doors for almost everything we have today."
jbsnicket added:
"Up to and including opening literal doors for us."
"Up to and including opening literal doors for us."
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32points
#11
"Honestly, the camera has always blown my mind. It creates a lasting picture of something that happens in the real world, and even though it may not be the most advanced invention, it has always kinda amazed me."
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32points
#12
"Washing your hands, the doctor who came up with this idea was laughed at by other doctors. He did so and proved that hand washing between patients would increase survival rates, and this was the basis for modern germ theory. The number of lives saved by this (at the time) laughable idea is uncountable."
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31points
#14
Commenter No. 1 wrote:
"A satellite. Are they floating or flying or what? How did they get there?"
"A satellite. Are they floating or flying or what? How did they get there?"
Apayan replied:
"They're constantly falling. Round in a circle. Enjoy your existential angst on their behalf."
"They're constantly falling. Round in a circle. Enjoy your existential angst on their behalf."
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30points
#15
DanielShaww wrote:
"The Internet."
"The Internet."
chillyhellion replied:
"Humans have existed for thousands of years and this is the first time in our history that we are connected at a global level. Anything that we could possibly achieve as a collective species will be because of this breakthrough."
"Humans have existed for thousands of years and this is the first time in our history that we are connected at a global level. Anything that we could possibly achieve as a collective species will be because of this breakthrough."
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28points
#16
"Google maps.
OK, so here's the deal. At any point on the planet I can know exactly where I am using my small handheld device.
But wait, there's more.
I can also find directions on how to get to ANYWHERE ELSE on the planet.
But wait, there's more.
It also tells me local traffic conditions, if where I'm headed might be closed, and the train routes/bus schedules that might be useful along the way.
But wait, there's more.
It knows when I'm moving, which direction I'm facing, and can even show me pictures of what that area looks like.
But wait, there's more.
It tells me interesting locations nearby such as museums, restaurants, shopping centers, parks...
But wait, there's more.
It's free to use.
A magical god d*mned map for ANYWHERE ON THE PLANET is free to use and can be accessed from anywhere as long as you have a mobile device.
We live in amazing times, folks. Amazing times."
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28points
#17
"That’s easy. Antiseptics. Like the whole sanitation thing. Joseph Lister, 1895. Before antiseptics, there was no sanitation, especially in medicine."
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27points
#18
"Batteries. In conjunction with the internet, these two inventions have mobilized our world to the point we're at today. Batteries seem to be the main technology holding us back from exponential progression."
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27points
#19
Back2Bach wrote:
"Laser technology - especially in surgical use."
"Laser technology - especially in surgical use."
Trivius replied:
"I was in assisting in urological surgery where someone was having laser lithotripsy. It's literally sticking a fibre optic camera with a laser attached into the kidney a blasting kidney stones into pieces."
"I was in assisting in urological surgery where someone was having laser lithotripsy. It's literally sticking a fibre optic camera with a laser attached into the kidney a blasting kidney stones into pieces."
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27points
