Perhaps not as much as we think. British science historian David Edgerton insists that makers of such lists, by focusing on new stuff, fail to take into account to what degree inventions are actually used by people. In his upcoming book “The Shock of the Old,” Edgerton provides a corrective by emphasizing some of the overlooked technologies that affect the lives of many.
Corrugated iron won’t find a spot on many lists of revolutionary technologies, but tell that to people who live in the booming cities of the developing world. This light, durable and easily worked building material is used for walls, roofs and even to collect rainwater. When it was patented in 1829 to shelter goods waiting on London’s docks, who could have known what a global technology it would become?
The continuing evolution of old technologies often changes our lives more dramatically than the hot new ones. The Internet has speeded the flow of information, and it’s been a key driver of globalization. But what matters just as much are how countless small innovations in cargo-ship technology have allowed goods to be moved longer distances with less damage and at lower costs. Without steady advances in propulsion systems, hull design, navigation and communications, planet-circling supply chains would be impossible, and globalization would be a fairy tale. There’s even talk of reintroducing sails on cargo ships to save fuel and cut down on carbon emissions.
There’s a similar prejudice for the flashy and the new in the technologies of warfare. Nuclear bombs cast a shadow over most of the 20th century, but far more people have died from the Kalashnikov assault rifle, which combines the destructive potential of a submachine gun with greater ease of use and durability than earlier rifles. These guns have killed far more people than any cutting-edge aircraft, missile or submarine. If Edgerton’s hypothesis is correct, what seemingly prosaic new inventions also deserve a spot on our lists ?
