I've been reading the Wright Brothers biography and it got me thinking:

Back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there were a series of inventions that revolutionized the world. Practical steam power, practical electricity, practical automobile and motorcycle. The telephone, electric power distribution the airplane.

In each of these cases, thousands of people literally traveled to eye witness these wonders first hand. In the case of the Wright brothers, sometimes upwards of 5000 people would gather for demonstrations, often having to go home without seeing anything if conditions weren't ideal.

My question is: Are there any inventions yet to come that will revolutionize the industrial world as these have? Will people literally flock personally to meet and witness these mechanical miracles? Is mechanical innovation basically played out? Has the Internet ruined this phenomenon since everyone can just sit back and watch video from the comfort of their homes?

Back in the Wrights time, they were basically the only ones in the world having positive success. Today, it seems like everyone has an idea for something and everyone knows about it.

The closest thing I can think of right now are the advancements in personal space travel and the practical electric car.

What say you?

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

I bet those were exciting times to be living. You did not have all the "agencies" to keep everything in line way back then like you do now - the EPA, OSHA, etc.... and not to be forgotten the litigious society like we live in today.

__________________
Jim

I doubt the flocking will be in person but rather virtual as you allude to. There is much to come, eventually. We haven't a clue as to how gravity functions nor how to manipulate it. Similarly dark energy and dark matter. And that is just the tip of the known unknowns. Can we keep from wiping ourselves off this mortal coil and drop the petty competitions and start working for cooperative goals in the meantime?

We are fascinated by robots that have the form of a human being ,why? A remote control car with a speaker and walkie talkie are the exact same thing just different package .The idea of a magic glue that welds things together with a special light is pretty revolutionary.

I think that the internet is an example of a more recent revolutionary invention, perhaps along with the cell phone/smartphone. What's coming down the line next? Who knows, but I would almost be willing to bet that it already exists around us in some primitive form and we just haven't noticed it yet.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

People are out there working on new stuff all the time. sometimes it works, other times, not so much.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

It's the next viral video.

__________________
1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

Organically-based machines, cybernetic organisms, faster-than-light travel,
movement of consciousness outside the body, time travel, extending life span to 400 years, education by direct mental download--

Not to mention many others.

It started with steam power but won't end there.

Remember, people knew about electricity in ancient times, they just didn't put it together with other discoveries, so it was a novelty.

The Leyden jar was a type of crude battery made before anything was invented that needed it as a power source.

__________________
Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

Cold fusion.

__________________
"I applaud your elaborate system of denial"

No, I think we're done inventing things.

Search for DARPA for some well developed high tech toys under development.

__________________
Toyota is a leader only because their drivers block everyone behind them. Oh what a feeling.

I am renting an apartment now to the head of the department of physics when that guy came out with the fake fusion. My guy fired him and the guy sued him and Purdue, but lost at all levels.

At least in the scientific world it is still tough to cheat the facts.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Absolutely, biorobotics is a huge one that is still in the science fiction books for the most part. Renewable energy (accelerated algae decay for example)


Sent from an abacus

__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

This is one thing I was thinking will be the next revolutionary physical invention. Others may be anti-gravity, mass conversion/transmission (transporter), life on other planets, alternative propulsion.

For the longest time now, we have depended on reaction engines for motive force. Controlled explosions pushing on air or the ground. Electric power is a step forward but it still acts on the ground or air for motivation.

I'm speaking more about spectacular displays of technology, noiseless craft flying over cities, people running to windows to see, that sort of thing. Rather then quiet incremental progress behind closed doors in labs.

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

We're always inventing new ways to kill each other. Smart bombs, armed drones. Look to the battlefield for your greatest technological advances. That's what brought us the Internet.