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

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

#241

Post by deepspace »

jcranmer wrote: post #114

Since you've allowed modern to include the Industrial Revolution, I would submit the invention that started it: the flying shuttle. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_shuttle (How did this cause the Industrial Revolution? It made weaving so much faster, that the spinning industry had to come up with machines to supply the weaving industry.)

As an aside, from the Wikipedia article:

> ... using treadles to raise and lower the heddles, which opened the shed in the warp threads. The operator then had to reach forward while holding the shuttle in one hand and pass this through the shed; the shuttle carried a bobbin for the weft.

That is a quite a bit of industry-specific jargon packed into a single paragraph. Without context this could easily be mistaken for Star Trek jargon.

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

#242

Post by jpttsn »

new2628 wrote: post #209
ajuc wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Would the state of the Earth be better or worse if not for this development?

Thanos, is that you?

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

#244

Post by dharmab »

notatoad wrote: post #38
miguelmota wrote: post #23

Earlier 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...

The most astounding thing about bicycles is that we did actually get it right. looking at the first ~100 years of iteration, you'd kind of assume that it was one of those things that would just keep evolving forever. But then they found the classic diamond frame design, and bikes have been fundamentally the same since then.

You can absolutely make arguments that bicycle design is unoptimized.

Why use front forks when they have so many problems? https://www.revzilla.com/common-tread/why-are-there-no-alter...

Why haven't recumbent bicycles taken over the road bike market despite many advantages (hint: It has to do with what kinds of traffic we prioritize in cities) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recumbent_bicycle#Compared_to_...

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

#245

Post by hooande »

dTal wrote: post #176

3D printing. I know, I know - overhyped. But you know what's a funny thing? It's incredibly basic tech. Stepper motors and thermoplastic. We could have had something like it at pretty much any time over the past century, and in its modern form from about 1960 or so. It has unquestionably revolutionized prototyping and short-run manufacturing, and we just didn't think of it . The idea was just too zany and expensive -…

I respectfully disagree. 3D printing has not lived up to its hype or potential. The process is slow and sensitive to conditions. The commercial applications are relatively limited. It has radically transformed rapid prototyping, which is very important. But it's hard to compare it to the ubiquitous daily utility of paperclips or even velcro.

I have much more hope for the next generation of 3D printing, whatever that is

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

#246

Post by BrandoElFollito »

ajuc wrote: post #233
dnautics wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Well it's better than Mościcki's process :)

What a coincidence, I passed today in front of his house and the chemical plant he was in charge of. The whole area is named after him too.

I did not expect to see his name in HN.

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

#247

Post by jvanderbot »

Hand washing. Modern disease control and prevention is borderline magic. Hand-washing is clearly the most important lifesaving and disease preventing invention in modern times.

Materially ... Well, "yourself" precludes anything computerized, unless you mean "program". It also precludes a huge range of materials science advances.

Technically, you can make steel and concrete yourself with enough real-world minecrafting, and good steel or concrete is probably hands down the most important factor in all our chemical, structural, and industrial processes.

Luckily there's a book with the most important inventions to re-engineer a complex, sustainable society called The Knowledge, and just about everything in there is build-able by a determined individual or small group (until you get to modern things). Not suprisingly, it mostly focuses on agriculture, medicine, steel, and concrete.

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

#248

Post by war1025 »

acd wrote: post #205
cosmodisk wrote: post #106

Washing Machine. Recent iterations are more complex( repair engineer could plug into ours and diagnose all sorts of things, including checking results of previous washes), however the principle behind it isn't that complex. It has made life easier for so many households.

On the number of hours saved by Washing machines and Dishwashers. Liberating women from having to do these tasks and instead contributing to the general economy instead.

> the number of hours saved by Washing machines and Dishwashers.

This is true, but to some extent over-stated I think.

We have a family of five, and don't use our dishwasher. I just do the dishes every morning while I listen to the news on the radio. It takes less than an hour.

As far as washing machines, I agree that they are quite convenient, but the truth is most clothing doesn't need to be washed nearly so often as people do.

Without a washing machine, you would just do laundry less often.

I think modern plumbing is the actual time saver. Not having to haul water from the river or the well frees up a ton of time. Having waste water safely disposed of is a massive boon to hygiene.

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

#249

Post by csomar »

dcolkitt wrote: post #127

I don't know if it's the most important, but it's a great example of how a very simple innovation had huge benefits. The Fitch Barrier are those big orange barrels you see on the side of the road. They're filled with sand inside, and basically help to dampen the momentum of a car that veers off the road. They were invented in the 1950s by John Fitch, a Formula 1 driver who just came up with them as a quick and dirty…

They fill them with water where I live. Seems easier to fill/empty but I'm not sure about the consequences on car collision.

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

#250

Post by eecc »

tptacek wrote: post #139
umvi wrote: post #131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

His story is so sad though. He was ostracized by the other doctors and medical community who didn't believe him and indeed openly mocked him. He remained outspoken about his findings until a colleague forced him into an asylum where he was beaten by the guards and died.

They didn't believe him in part because he was a notorious asshole, and in part because he was insistent on a root cause analysis of hand-washing that was clearly false. He also didn't "invent" handwashing, which was already the normal protocol by the time he began practicing; rather, his contribution was a particular antiseptic handwashing protocol (chlorinated lime).

Superficial, disrespectful. There might have been many reasons, not being in tune with the crown wasn't necessarily the worst of the sins.
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