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Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
191–200 of 583 posts
Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
#192Contact Lenses. My favorite and most day-to-day useful technology.
Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
#193The condition "you can pretty much build it yourself" forces me to exclude many things with important impact like for example nuclear reactors, LSD, birth control pills, and the silicon transistor. But I think steam engines (or Rankine cycle engines in general) and penicillin are simple enough to qualify.
I thought of penicillin, too, but "build it yourself" ruled it out, in my view.
I was thinking that growing a penicillin producing mold culture (like Fleming did) is something anyone could do, but I have to admit that I have no clue about how much more processing is needed before it can be applied medically as an antibiotic.
Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
#194The condition "you can pretty much build it yourself" forces me to exclude many things with important impact like for example nuclear reactors, LSD, birth control pills, and the silicon transistor. But I think steam engines (or Rankine cycle engines in general) and penicillin are simple enough to qualify.
When I read Alexander Shulgin, the psychedelic chemist’s biography, I was struck by the fact that when he wanted to do LSD with some friends, he actually synthesised it in his lab.
Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
#195Earlier quoted context omitted.
Bicycles may seem simple but took many decades to get it right. Your comment also reminded me of this gallery of drawings from people attempting to create a bicycle from memory which is pretty funny https://twistedsifter.com/2016/04/artist-asks-people-to-draw...
What a frustrating article, they say its missing a key component but doesn't say what.
It's the Chainstays. You need two bars connecting the bottom bracket to the rear hub or the rear wheel is extremely unstable.
Most modern bikes are fundamentally 2 triangles joined at the base.
Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
#196Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't have to imagine it. We had 2 massive suitcases when I was a kid that were built like tanks. You actually had to be pretty thoughtful when you put them into the trunk because of their size. But here's the thing. You pulled up to the terminal back then, parked, got out. Walked away from the car and checked your bag right there on the sidewalk if you weren't getting there at some weird hour and then said bye to…
Makes you wonder how one bad action can just cause sweeping changes in surveillance, privacy, screening process, etc. How much of it is overreaction?
It was all a designed to create more surveillance, not to protect us. I don’t think it’s stopped any terrorist attacks.
Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
#197Someone didn’t think of putting wheels on luggage until relatively recently, in 1987. https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/05/business/05road.html
A few weeks ago I was going through some stuff in our storage unit and found an originally very nice suitcase. It's of no value to me now because it has no wheels. Imagine how much more difficult air travel would be without the wheels!
Imagine it? I've been living it and it's so much better. Try to get from one side of O'Hare to the other for your connection leaving in 20 minutes with a rolling suitcase vs with a comfortable medium-large backpack.
Boarding flights is easier, getting around outside is easier (try rolling your suitcase around the cobble streets of Paris), fitting into tight restaurants is easier.
Look into /r/onebag if you want to learn more. Check out the Minaal, it's literally life-changing if you travel often.
Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
#198Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't have to imagine it. We had 2 massive suitcases when I was a kid that were built like tanks. You actually had to be pretty thoughtful when you put them into the trunk because of their size. But here's the thing. You pulled up to the terminal back then, parked, got out. Walked away from the car and checked your bag right there on the sidewalk if you weren't getting there at some weird hour and then said bye to…
Makes you wonder how one bad action can just cause sweeping changes in surveillance, privacy, screening process, etc. How much of it is overreaction?
I’d normally agree except the copy cat effect is strong these days. School shootings in US are the counter example where little changed after Columbine and now we have them weekly or so.
Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
#199roundabouts
Re: Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?
#200The idea of human rights is simple, fairly modern, and very important -- one of the most important today.
I think it’s not such a new idea, I mean there was the Magna Carta