James Promotes The Hunt For All Time Top Invention

[ulstermayniac]

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8092081.stm

[lindenchase]

Thanks for the info. There is nothing yet on the museum's website, but it might be worth keeping an eye on that.
Hopefully there will be a short clip or so where James defends his pick.

[ulstermayniac]

Here's hoping!!

[brycegold]

Me thinks James may be slightly biased because of his recent moon filming series. Panic................... shock horror, I may have to disagree with James on this one!

[ulstermayniac]

Well I do agree with his comment, about it being the furthest 'man' has ever got in terms of investigation but all those inventions on the list all have their merits and are all deserving of a vote.

[Deleted]

He's wrong.

[ulstermayniac]

In what way?

[Deleted]

I'm being controversial. He may be right he may be wrong. I felt like just putting that for my own reasons.

[Wyvern]

It's now on the museum website -

www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/Centenary/Home.aspx

For the record, I think James is wrong too, because we can't yet measure the full impact of space exploration and in many ways, Apollo was a dead end. In fact, for the impact on human life, I think the cog is the most significant invention, but that's not on the shortlist; I think it's a bit too fundamental.

My vote goes to the steam engine

[Mayfayre]

It's celebrating the last century of science, so the cog won't count as it was invented way before that!

Which doesn't explain how the steam engine & Stephenson's Rocket got in there...

[ulstermayniac]

Well, I am thinking about Penicillin and the X-Ray. I am not particularly medically minded but they are awesome inventions. Penicillin has certainly been a life saver, as has the X-ray. I haven't looked at all the finalists properly though.

[Wyvern]

Jun 10, 2009 16:19:36 GMT Mayfayre said:

It's celebrating the last century of science, so the cog won't count as it was invented way before that!

Which doesn't explain how the steam engine & Stephenson's Rocket got in there...

Both good points ;D , which is why I don't quite understand how they've chosen what they've chosen! And actually, the Model T is debatable too, because that was invented in 1908.

They seem to be looking at things that have had the biggest impact over the last century, regardless of the date of invention. They're using the steam engine as a reason to go on about global warming

I think it might be more fun to compile a list of the most useless inventions that have had an impact on life in the last century. I think, after careful consideration, that my vote would go to Shake & Vac.

EDIT: D'oh! I get it. It's nothing to do with 100 years of science. It's celebrating 100 years of the Science Museum, so it's iconic things with connections to their collection. Doesn't matter when or where they come from.

Can I have my cog now?

[ulstermayniac]

For me, it would be one of those old fashioned can openers that don't have a windy bit on the top and you have to poke a pointy bit into the top of the can, well try to, and it slips off the can and stabs you in the hand.

[nobody]

Jun 10, 2009 16:39:44 GMT ulstermayniac said:

For me, it would be one of those old fashioned can openers that don't have a windy bit on the top and you have to poke a pointy bit into the top of the can, well try to, and it slips off the can and stabs you in the hand.

I can't use those things ether

[TheDaisy]

Personally I'd vote for insulin - if not for that, I'd be long gone, although some might say that's a good thing ;D But it's not on the list.

[ulstermayniac]

Nobody - At least I am not on my own on that one!!

Daisy - Aww no. It should be! It is an important thing! I had a friend in secondary school who was a diabetic and my Nan became diabetic after she had a heart attack but she was given pills to control hers.