Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

561–570 of 583 posts

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

#561

Post by blompa »

2rsf wrote: post #529
blompa wrote: post #396

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Menstrual cups are a step up from this! They produce much less waste, are much less messy (almost never leak), and don't need to be changed as often (once every 6 - 12 hours and without the TSS risks that tampons have). It's better to use running water to wash them out, but simply wiping them with tissue paper can work too (albeit a little messily), if water is scarce. A downside that I've read about however is that…

> without the TSS risks that tampons have consumer reports disagrees with you [1] https://www.consumerreports.org/women-s-health/menstrual-cup...

Thank you for linking that report, very interesting.

I also read through the article[0] that the report linked. I think a significant factor in the difference in risk is how much contact tampons are making with the vaginal canal vs menstrual cups; the article mentions that the risk is higher if the cup is allowed to overflow (and the toxins from within the cup make contact with the vaginal canal).

So I suppose that even though the cup can be left inside for longer than a tampon can, that (as advised) it should definitely not be left inside for longer than necessary.

[0] https://aem.asm.org/content/84/12/e00351-18.full

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

#562

Post by taneq »

war1025 wrote: post #539
taneq wrote: post #482

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Maybe I'm unique in this (I don't think I am), but if anything the curse of modern life is that we're absolutely awash in free time. I’m sure you’re not unique, but your case is far from usual either.

We say that, but how much time to people spend just watching TV or Netflix? All of that is "free time". People just spend it without thinking and then lament their lack of free time.

Then what you're really saying here is that you think they're spending their free time wrong. Maybe they enjoy watching Netflix or playing games or whatever much more than you enjoy your zen moment of washing dishes and listening to the radio?

It's like me going for a Sunday ride on my bike (which I very much enjoy) and then telling other people that they shouldn't resent having to commute to work in rush hour every day.

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

#563

Post by etangent »

6nf wrote: post #314
etangent wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

now imagine being someone who dislikes being around lots of people, and especially dislikes being around city people...

Imagine you could move to a small farm town population 62

Imagine thinking one's choices are completely independent of status games played in the society.

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

#564

Post by nate_meurer »

yellowapple wrote: post #424
AWildC182 wrote: post #391

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back when radioshack existed they used to sell kits where you could assemble a crystal radio out of a handful of simple parts. This was the first real project my dad and I ever did and I was just a little kid at the time.

One of those kits ended up being a growing up story of mine, and a lesson in unchecked hubris. I was maybe 8-ish years old, and trying to follow the instructions to wire together a crystal radio with one of those Radio Shack electronics kits. My stepdad - who had only recently become such, and to my assumption at the time was just some dumb hick mechanic - volunteered to help me troubleshoot. Being the bratty child I…

This story just made my evening, thanks.

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

#565

Post by johnfisher57 »

With so much of innovations in technology I feel the invention could be how organizations can safeguard their communication with a solution that encrypts communication app as well as can manage device inventory for safety. [0]https://scalefusion.com/instant-messaging-application

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

#566

Post by [deleted] »

m463 wrote: post #442
puranjay wrote: post #184

The humble ball point pen. People forget how cumbersome and/or expensive it was to write before cheap ball point pens became a thing. You had to use fountain pens. The cheap ones leaked and were an absolute mess to carry around. The ones that didn't leak were expensive. I can now buy more pens for $100 than I'll ever use in years and just stash them everywhere I want

My FAVORITE of all time is the Pentel Energel 0.7mm gel pen. Super low friction, no blotching, high contrast readable ink.

[deleted]

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

#567

Post by fit2rule »

abrax3141 wrote: post #313
fit2rule wrote: post #96

The IUD.

IUDs aren't simple. The concept of contraception is simple, and condoms (as mentioned elsewhere are), but both of those are old.

I dunno, I think Gräfenbergs Ring is pretty darn simple:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gräfenberg%27s_ring

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

#568

Post by ajuc »

AngryData wrote: post #338
Aperocky wrote: post #306

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> over half of them would work in farming Why would throwing more people at the problem solve or mitigate lack of fertilizer?

Yeah I think he is wrong there. More people would work in farming than now but only like 1% of the population are farmers right now. 2% farmers covering atleast if not more than double the land area is not crazy. Not to mention relying on natural processes and top soil health and would be extremely sustainable long term and be a huge carbon sink.

https://blog.resourcewatch.org/2019/05/30/map-of-the-month-h...

> The chart below shows data from the World Bank on employment in agriculture over time. Globally, about 1 billion people* work in the agricultural sector, about 28% of the population employed in 2018. This is down from 44% in 1991.

Currently 1/7th of the global population works in agriculture, and 28% of the employed population.

If that doubles it would be over 50%.

World isn't just USA.

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

#569

Post by crtlaltdel »

abrax3141 wrote: post #310
crtlaltdel wrote: post #155

plastics

Def. not simple!

idk...as far as complexity goes, plastics are not really all that bad. i'd argue that many machines are far more complex than a polymer when you consider what it's comprised of and how it functions.

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

#570

Post by conductr »

homonculus1 wrote: post #231
conductr wrote: post #198

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

We don't have Columbine-style school shootings every week. Maybe gang shootings involving students, but that's a separate problem with completely different cultural roots.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mass-shootings-2019-more-than-d...

So this is normal?

Post reply on HN