Four Unsung Technologies That Have Changed Our
World.
Author: Meas-spec.com

We've heard them all before—the wheel, the car, the rocket
ship, the airplane, the atomic bomb, the Internet. There are a
few technologies that have obviously changed our world—some for
the better, some for the worse. But in all the hubbub over these
obviously world-changing inventions, some equally important
technologies have been forgotten. Below are some inventions
that have had an undeniable impact on our world—technologies
that you wouldn't at first suspect.

The stirrup. That's right, that little metal hoop that hangs
off a saddle. The partnership of horse and human is undeniably
important in the development of warfare—a horse can run
approximately three times faster than a person. But the stirrup
gave added stability. It gives riders the support that makes it
possible to ride all day—no conquering force could travel as
far and as quickly as they needed to without it. It also gives
an undeniable advantage in battle: maneuverability. A warrior
with stirrups can stand, lean from side to side, swing an axe,
shoot a bow, or throw a spear without danger of falling off.
Chances are, without the stirrup, many battles that have shaped
the political landscape and history of our world would have gone
differently.

The battery. Everyone thinks the invention of electricity was
extremely important—and it was. But the battery gives us that
electricity in a portable form, making it possible for us to
have flashlights, mobile phones, cars, mp3 players,
pacemakers—anything that relies on electric power and that
isn't practical to plug into the wall. Batteries have made
devices both lifesaving and mundane possible, and our world
wouldn't look the same without them.

Traffic sensors. Most people would cite cars as an important
invention. But traffic sensors are an invention that makes car
travel possible—especially in crowded cities. In bucolic towns,
sensors are a convenience—they sense when your car is waiting at
a light, and if there is no car at the opposing light, it will
change early and let you go through. But in a big city with
millions of intersections to coordinate, traffic sensors play a
crucial role in keeping lights properly timed and congestion to
a minimum. Traffic would be much more complicated to manage
without traffic sensors.

Cement. Without it, we would have no skyscrapers or highways.
We would also have no Egyptian Pyramids or Appian Way. Cement
has played an incredibly important role throughout the history
of civilization, as a durable building material that holds up
under extreme stress and seriously long-term erosive forces.
It's strong yet flexible enough to support a skyscraper,
durable enough to hold up under millions of cars and trucks per
day on our nation's busiest highways, and long-lasting enough to
have held the Great Pyramid together for over four thousand
years.

These inventions are all undeniably crucial—although they
wouldn't be at the top of the list for best-known important
technologies. So next time you drop your keys at night, read
about the fall of Rome, sit in traffic at an intersection, or
take to the highway, think about where we'd be without the
battery, the stirrup, the traffic sensor, and cement. We're
lucky these technologies came along.


About The Author: This article was written by
http://meas-spec.com, global manufacturer of pressure
transmitters. Please visit http://www.meas-spec.com for more
information.