What is Humankind's greatest invention?

[POed_Ex_Repub]

Here's a few candidates, feel free to add your own (or vote for one of mine)

[LosinIt]

1. the tampon

[woofless]

3. I didn't realize natives of Tampa were that popular.

Who knew?

[Lostmessage]

9. Which came first the Kotex or the Tampax?

It had to have been the Kotex because Civil War women were wearing rags in their underwear right?

[SheilaT]

18. This was my first thought, also.

Men have no idea.

[woofless]

2. woohoo....beer wins!

actually just trying to post my way past #799

[POed_Ex_Repub]

5. Whatsa matta?

Don't like the 700 club? :P

[woofless]

6. actually doesn't mean diddly to me,

but folks do seem to make a big deal of it. Took more than a year to get there so I figure I'll just cruise on out of it ASAP.

[booksenkatz]

4. Birth control pill. nt

*

[JasonDeter]

7. Humankind has spent 30+ yrs dumbing itself down.

Air conditioning. Stupid but at least (until the madness stops) comfortable.

[theorist]

8. I picked written language.

Anesthesia should be up there, too.

[KissMyAsscroft]

10. The light bulb...

Basically discovering electricity...

[Lostmessage]

11. The Bed

End of story!

[Alpharetta]

12. The Bose Wave Radio

I know because Rush told me so.

[VOX]

13. I hate it when wingers endorse good products!

BOSE has made terrific audio stuff for decades. And now Rush has sprayed his evil scent all over it.

Fooie!

[Dogmudgeon]

14. Agriculture

--bkl

[MercutioATC]

15. Soap

Sterilization, actually. Sterilization made the difference between successful surgery and amputation (or death). Even something as simple as soap has saved countless lives by limiting the transmission of infections.

[jogi1969]

16. quantum mechanics

and quantum mathematics

[mykpart]

17. Deodorant and tampons!

[LynneSin]

21. I'll second that one

God bless the OB!!

[kodi]

19. the ability to make fire.

after that, life got easy

[Tredge]

20. Sliced bread

Despite mankind's best attempts over the years, and the claims of countless inventors, I solemnly contend that nothing has ever been better than sliced bread.

[terrya]

22. The printing press.

Without this, books and newspapers would not exist.

Terry

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. the lever

because from that we then get other tools so that, eventually, we can build shelter with warmth and espresso machines.

Wait - maybe the greatest invention IS the espresso machine...

[BiggJawn]

24. The Bicycle.

Millions of people who can't afford a car or feed/insure/license it can still travel fairly efficiently.

[MaineDem]

25. The wheel

Shirley Valentine said so (for those of you who know the play/ movie.)

:)

[freestatevet]

26. The mini skirt

followed CLOSELY by the crop top.

[grannylib]

27. Tampons, reliable birth control and safe car seats (over the crap they

used to have in the early days, designed only to get the kid high enough to see out the window and maybe quit whining as a result.)

[populistmom]

28. Birth control

Thank the Lord for birth control!!!

[chiburb]

29. The Thermos (!) because...

You put something hot in it and it stays hot. You put something cold in it and it stays cold. How does it know?

[camero]

30. I have to go with written language

Without that none of the others would have been possible.

[Mr.Green93]

31. the Democratic Party

[Spider Jerusalem]

32. Greatest invention/discovery...

The working of metals. First copper, then bronze, then iron, then steel. With few exceptions, humanity owes most later technological innovation and invention, from the printing press to the industrial age, the steam engine, the locomotive, the oil drill, the machine gun, the automobile, really almost ANYTHING you care to name, to this basic advance.

[geniph]

33. Democracy

the idea that every citizen can participate in governance.

[MAlibdem]

34. Agriculture/Domestication of Animals

Can't do anything until you have a sedentary lifestyle with reliable food source

[Superfly]

35. All things fermented...

but they weren't invented as much as they were accidentally discovered, to later generations' delight.

[FatSlob]

36. Beer, duh!

[Squeegee]

37. You forgot to include ...

... sliced bread!

Oops, looks like someone beat me to the punch on this one. :-(