There is an nice article over the online version of BusinessWeek titled “The Greatest Innovation of All Time”. The article lists the most important innovations of all time. Some of them are arguably inventions… but the list is interesting nonetheless because it does not feature specific products at all. Apple fans, this means that the iPod is not included! Below you will find the 15 items:
1. Weapons
2. Mathematics and the number zero
3. Money
4. Printing
5. Free markets and capital markets
6. Domesticated animals and agriculture
7. Property ownership
8. Limited liability
9. Participatory democracy
10. Anesthetics and surgery
11. Vaccines and antibiotics
12. Semiconductors
13. The Internet
14. Genetic sequencing
15. Containerized shipping
Do you agree with the list? Those certainly are inventions and innovations that changed people’s lives. You can read the full article, including a slide show, here.