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How we got here

Have been watching a fascinating documentary on how our modern life with its tools and conveniences originated in very unlikely situations.

People today mostly do not know these true inventors and thinkers that drive modern life.

Here are some notables that may or may not be known to scores of people who benefit from their guts  and voice of dissent.

  • Doctors John Snow and John L. Leal independently in the UK and later in the USA respectively led to the understanding of how to keep water clean so we do not die of cholera - Snow's secret was to map the cause of water pollution to locations where people were dying from the disease,  while Leal's was to discover that chlorine in water could kill most bacterium - indirectly helping promote other secrets like Victoria's.  The bikini and skimpier undergarment trend became possible because it was now possible to provide clean water for people to use for drinking or fill swimming pools where gals could show off their bodies.
  • Famous Italian Galileo helped discover the concept of time by staring at swinging lamps in a church centuries ago.  
  • Further people like Dennison in MA helped make watches cheap enough for anyone to own one.  Of course the industrial revolution led to the obsession of mankind wanting to switch from a rooster waking them to wanting to know the 10:42 departure from Grand Central.
  • Railroad supervisor William Allen helped us define the concept of timezones thereby making travel possible across the continents without causing confusion.  It made broadcast TV possible and concepts of prime time drama was born.
  • Marie Curie made carbon dating possible which can tell us where we came from and possibly where we are headed next.  Time will tell.

Comments

  1. RajendraOctober 30, 2014 at 6:04 PM

    full marks to the Snows and Leals. What would life be without a bikini? Prime time drama I am not so sure about.

    ReplyDelete

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