10 Top Technological Advancements That Have Changed the World

Our society is one that is certainly geared toward technology and toward constant advancement and improvement. That being said there are some innovations that are more impactful than others that have truly changed the course of history. Here are ten technological advances that have changed the world.

The Printing Press

Invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1450, the printing press is often cited with the rapid dissemination of the Bible, of many written materials, and of literature in general. Not only was it an incredible technological advancement, but it also further helped society through spreading knowledge which fundamentally helped improve education. Without the printing press we would not have a society as we know it.

The Light Bulb

Though Edison is not the first to work on this technology he is the first to develop and create long lasting light bulbs that are used today. Without the long hours that inventors like Edison spent perfecting this lightbulb, the electricity that we harnessed would be useless. Although it may seem like a pretty simple invention to us now because we are so used to it, it’s something that significantly changed our world and that we would be lost without.

Telegraph

The telegraph is the pioneer version of the phone and was used to send messages across continents. With the invention of Morse code by Samuel Morse the telegraph was able to send message across oceans and was widely used by the military and by the government.

Medical Imaging

We all know how fascinating it is to look at an ultrasound or an x-ray and see how the body works. Before these common medical imaging practices became widely used and accessible, most doctors either had to open the patient up to investigate or had to guess what was causing the discomfort and illness. Without this innovation, the medical world that we know of today would be significantly different and diagnosis and treatment would be largely hindered.

The Automobile

The automobile is one of the biggest technological advances of all time. It made horse drawn carriages a thing of the past and made personal travel worlds easier. Though the original automobile was pricy and could not be afforded by most families, Henry Ford worked to make an affordable alternative and every family on the block was driving the stylish model. Today, it’s hard to find a household that doesn’t own at least one car and every minute of the day our roads are full of the vehicles.

The Radio

There was a time when if you wanted to hear the news or you wanted to enjoy a program with the family you would all gather around the radio. NPR was perhaps one of the biggest radio programs around and they are still pumping out relevant news and topics for public consumption. The radio changed the way we got our news and our family entertainment and today there are 100s of channels for us to choose from.

The Television

Before the television the radio was the major means of getting news and entertaining the family. The moving picture and persona televisions that were affordable enough and small enough to fit inside of homes brought television and news programs to the people. When they were first introduced, a family would be considered extremely well off and privileged to own one, now it’s uncommon for a home to have just the 1.

The Telephone

When letters and snail mail were the major means of communication you could go years without hearing from family and friends. Also, information could not be quickly passed making it difficult to send news. The invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell made it possible to use telephone wires to connect with people that were close enough that you can speak with them but not close enough that you might see them every day. Now, landline telephones seem a thing of the past due to the development of mobile technology.The range of options for smartphones is truly remarkable, Samsung devices like the Galaxy s-7, provide a whole new world of technology at your finger tips.

The Computer

The computer gave users access to the power to create, to find information, to watch videos to play games and so much more. With the invention of the internet computers have become some of the most powerful machines in existence.

The Airplane

Man’s desire to fly has always been strong and when the Wright brothers finally found a way to get us off the ground when they revolutionized travel and made it possible for people to see all parts of the world.

These are just a paltry few of the advancements that we have made over the history of man and there are plenty more to come.