Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#141

Post by tgv » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 7:54 PM UTC

cranium wrote: post #121

I'm surprised nobody mentioned radio communication. The AM (Amplitude Modulation) transmission is even quite simple to understand and build. You can even create an electric arc between the ground and the transmitting tower as a cheap (and dangerous) receiver: https://youtu.be/uo9nGzIzSPw

I don't think a layperson can understand even the basic principle behind AM, let alone the actual device. It's not as "simple" as washing your hands.

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#142

Post by austincheney » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 7:55 PM UTC

The most important overlooked or ignored invention is the antibiotic via syringe:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Duchesne

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#143

Post by mynegation » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 7:55 PM UTC

cranium wrote: post #121

I'm surprised nobody mentioned radio communication. The AM (Amplitude Modulation) transmission is even quite simple to understand and build. You can even create an electric arc between the ground and the transmitting tower as a cheap (and dangerous) receiver: https://youtu.be/uo9nGzIzSPw

Important - yes, but would you consider it simple? AFAIU it relied on Maxwell's equations that I would not characterize as simple.

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#144

Post by ryanmercer » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 7:57 PM UTC

nathell wrote: post #9

Zipper (1851) and ballpoint pen (1888) would be my picks.

The development, and successful commercialization, of the ballpoint pen is a really interesting hole to dive down.

John Loud is like check this cool thing I made, it doesn't really work though. Laszlo Biro comes along and makes it viable, everyone tries to rip him off, then Marcel Bich comes along and is like "Biro, let me have that, everyone sit down Bic has this!".

Stuff You Should Know did a podcast episode about it once. IIRC it was a decent listen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXB7479t0XM

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#145

Post by PAGAN_WIZARD » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 7:57 PM UTC

The electric motor/generator.

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#146

Post by ilamont » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 8:01 PM UTC

Bending light (1840s)

-> Fiber optics (1954)

--> fast network connectivity

---> Internet

---> Telephony

--> fiber optic endoscopy (1956)

---> better disease detection

---> laparoscopic surgery

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#147

Post by clashandcarry » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 8:02 PM UTC

Jaruzel wrote: post #10

dossy wrote: post #5

The incandescent light bulb. "In 1761, Ebenezer Kinnersley demonstrated heating a wire to incandescence." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb

I still don't think LED (or Halogen) house bulbs are anywhere near as good as the classic incandescent bulb. Most LED bulbs give me a headache. Bad LED bulbs cause 'strobing' in my vision which is even worse.

I find Philips brand bulbs appear to have circuitry to "smooth out" the voltage and provide consistent light levels. I use my phone camera's slow motion mode to record my bulbs and see the flicker. Every brand I've tested via the above method, save for Philips, have suffered from flicker.

Give Philips a try? May just be worth the premium. Hopefully a standard like the one mentioned in a comment below is put into place.

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#148

Post by jordan801 » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 8:02 PM UTC

LeoPanthera wrote: post #88

Earplugs! Improved sleep quality can have huge health benefits and the world is noisier than ever. ...might have been invented before 1700 though.

Try a white noise generator. I live with noisy roommates and it has changed my life. Ear plugs fall out, and can prevent you from hearing real emergencies and your alarm clock.

I went from borderline psychotic from them waking me up, to sleeping like a rock.

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#149

Post by dotancohen » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 8:02 PM UTC

sebastianconcpt wrote: post #34

The sanitation system.

And the roads.

Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

#150

Post by dnautics » Mon, Feb 10, 2020, 8:02 PM UTC

ajuc wrote: post #140

jtlienwis wrote: post #129

The process for making ammonia from air (nitrogen) and hydrogen. Allowed a huge increase in agricultural output that saved a few billion people from starvation. Haber-Bosch process.

Basically there would be ~2 times less people on Earth and over half of them would work in farming if not for this one invention.

Sadly, in my professional opinion as a chemist, I would say that the the haber process, is not actually that simple, either in its original conception or as implemented now.