The old saying goes like this: “Necessity is the mother of invention”. To me, this statement holds true in many cases. Throughout the centuries, humans have been making or attempting to create something that make life easier for themselves. Until today, they have not stopped inventing. If you check with the patents office, you will be surprised to see how many inventions have already been submitted to it. Of the many inventions, I believe the the top ten greatest inventions of all time are paper, the automobile, the airplane, the compass, the computer, the television, the electric bulb, the radio, the telephone and the mobile phone.
Paper, despite the simplicity in its design, is perhaps the greatest invention of all times. Since it was invented in ancient China, great ideas and designs for new inventions had been recorded on it. Even in our modern age of computers, we still use our printers to print out our work on pieces of paper for ourselves or others to see as it is sometimes not possible to use a laptop in certain places. Paper is also use for jotting down notes and any other important information. That was once a talk on having a paperless society but the dream had yet to be realised.
The compass is a great invention as it helps travellers to find their ways. Since it was first used by the Chinese, pilots of ships and flying vehicles from around the world rely on the invention to help them find their destination. With a working compass, it is easier for a traveller to find his or her way around and to find his or her way out if he or she suddenly gets lost.
Since the Wright brothers first flew the first airplane, thousands of people have been flying to and from airports around the world every day. The airplane which also known as an aeroplane helps reduce travelling time drastically. A place that requires months to reach by boat now takes only hours to reach by an airplane. With the invention of the jet engine, airplanes can even fly much faster than before. Modern passenger planes are very large and comfortable indeed. Airplanes can also help to special aids to reach disaster areas faster. In Australia, some doctors fly airplanes to remote areas to bring cure to their patients.
The electric bulb was first invented by Thomas Alva Edison. For many years it had brighten the homes and offices of many modern cities and some villages around the world. With such invention, light can came at the flip of a switch. Prior to the availability of the electric bulb, the people had been using candles or kerosene lamps that had to be lighted with fire. Later smaller versions of the electric bulb were made for flashlights powered by batteries.
For centuries people have been either riding on animals or in vehicles pulled by them. One day, someone had the idea of a self-propelled vehicle. This freed the animals from having to provide transportation for their human counterparts. With the automobile, people can travel further distance without burdening the animals.
A computer can be found in almost every modern home in the world. It is required for connection to the Internet. With a computer, a lot of work can be done more quickly. For example, a computer program known as the word processor makes the task of creating documents easier. On a traditional typewriter, a person may have to retype an entire document to make a perfect copy, but with a computer, he or she can easily make corrections before printing out the final copy. In this way, he or she can save a lot of time. Computers can be used to solve complicate scientific problems, help balance the budget, find medical solutions, protect the borders, fight crimes, design buildings, and many other useful tasks.
The Internet is perhaps now the most important invention besides the humble paper. The Internet makes it easier for people to communicate and have help to save time and money by reducing the time needed to travel. Before the Internet became a household term, people will have to either go the store or the library to look up for some information. Now, with the Internet, people can stay at home and search for information on the Internet. The Internet also makes it easier for people to communicate and keep in touch with their friends from all over the world.
The radio is an important invention not because it enables communication without wires but also because, I believe, it inspired other important inventions like the television, the walkie-talkie, and the mobile phone. Radio technology enables sound to be transmitted from one place to another without having the use of cables or wires. More than one inventor had contributed to the development of the radio, but Guglielmo Marconi who invented a radio telegraph system was the one being most remembered. The radio is still in use today.
The television brings entertainment to many modern homes around the world. With the television, people can watch the news, movies, dramas, sport events, competitions, documentaries, and many other interesting shows at home. With the television, advertisers can reach a wider audience. The invention of the television has also created a new job known as the television actor. Some television actors became so popular that they became celebrities. The first television was invented by John Logie Baird in 1925 was a mechanical device that used a spinning disk for image transmission. The first electronic television that did not require moving parts for transmission of pictures was said to have been invented by a guy by the name of Philo Taylor Farnsworth.
The telephone was one of the most well-known inventions. Since Alexander Graham Bell had invented it sometime in 1875, two persons had been able to speak to one another without really having to see each another face to face. With the invention of the telephone, the job known as the telephonist or telephone operator was creator. Early telephone calls had to be made through human operators until the Strowger switch was invented. Although the telephone helps to improve communication and to save time, it is not portable. The invention of the cellular phone solves the problem of portability.
The cellular phone which is also known as the hand-phone or a mobile phone is a very useful tool nowadays as it enables us to contact one another at any place and at any time. It was invented by Martin Copper in 1973. Previously without such an invention, a person would have to look for a telephone whenever he or she was in the public area. With a cellular phone, a person more quickly made emergency calls whenever there is no immediate access of a fixed-line or traditional telephone. Nowadays, the modern cellular phone comes with features like camera, Internet access, multimedia, and games. It might be possible that the invention of the walkie-talkie which might itself have been inspired by the invention of the radio was the inspiration for the invention of the cellular phone.
