Search
  • Videos
  • Windows 10
  • 5G
  • Best VPNs
  • Cloud
  • Security
  • AI
  • more
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
  • Newsletters
  • All Writers
    • Preferences
    • Community
    • Newsletters
    • Log Out
  • Menu
    • Videos
    • Windows 10
    • 5G
    • Best VPNs
    • Cloud
    • Security
    • AI
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
      • Preferences
      • Community
      • Newsletters
      • Log Out
  • us
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Europe
    • India
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    • ZDNet around the globe:
    • ZDNet France
    • ZDNet Germany
    • ZDNet Korea
    • ZDNet Japan

The best tech inventions of all time that advanced civilization

1 of 12 NEXT PREV
  • Language

    Language

    We use complex forms of communication to convey information to each other. There are between 5,000 and 7,000 spoken languages world-wide.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: Geralt

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Writing

    Writing

    Writing is a form of technology which records signs and symbols in a way to communicate with others. It has been around for over 8,000 years and has developed significantly over history - even now with emojis as a form of language.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: Tiburi

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Alphabet

    Alphabet

    A standard set of letters used in written language. Scripts, hieroglyphs, abjads, and abugidas are used for different languages.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: BlikPixel

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Sewerage

    Sewerage

    The infrastructure that conveys sewage from one place to another through drains, manholes and pumping stations. A logistical challenge since the dawn of civilisation, wells and latrines have been found dating back 8,500 years.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: Antranias

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Agriculture

    Agriculture

    Cultivation of animals and plants for food and medicine marked the rise of human civilisation. Grain has been cultivated and eaten for over 105,000 years whilst pigs were domesticated about 15,000 years ago.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: Couleur

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Democracy

    Democracy

    Choosing political representatives for an assembly was conceived in classical Greece. Although the American Founding Fathers rejected democracy in favour of a 'natural aristocracy' for Congress, now every American can vote for the person they choose in elections.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: Bones64

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Irrigation

    Irrigation

    When rainfall is insufficient to water crops for agriculture, irrigation is needed. Irrigation canals have been used for about 7,000 years.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: FeragustoDesign

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Soap

    Soap

    Adding water to wood ash gives lye which has been used to clean greasy plates on many camping trips. Soaps have been used for 5,000 years and have made our lives more comfortable and a lot less smelly.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: Suju

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Concrete

    Concrete

    8,500 years ago the Nabatea traders constructed underground cisterns and floors from concrete. Now this composite material is the most widely used man-made material by tonnage in the world.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: Unsplash

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Stairs

    Stairs

    We take stairs for granted as a way to climb a vertical distance by dividing it into smaller sections known as steps. Spiral staircases and alternating tread stairs make descending very steep inclines easy. It is hard to imagine a world without stairs.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: CocoParisienne

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Tunnelling

    Tunnelling

    Digging tunnels and passageways through mountains, under rivers, or the sea to transport cars, trains, canal barges, people, or fluids means that our lives are significantly easier than before.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: Unsplash

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

  • Plumbing

    Plumbing

    Plumbing systems convey fluids from one place to another through pipes and valves. Ancient civilisations like the Greeks and Chinese developed pluming meaning that you no longer need to go to the well with a bucket, or pump water up from the ground for your morning coffee.

    Innovation

    • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
    • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
    • The best 3D printers for business and home use
    • What is AI? Everything you need to know
    • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
    • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
    Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

    Photo by: Shonflare

    Caption by: Eileen Brown

1 of 12 NEXT PREV
Eileen Brown

By Eileen Brown for Social Business | August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT) | Topic: Innovation

  • Language
  • Writing
  • Alphabet
  • Sewerage
  • Agriculture
  • Democracy
  • Irrigation
  • Soap
  • Concrete
  • Stairs
  • Tunnelling
  • Plumbing

In this series we take a look at everything, large and small, that has changed the way we do things and significantly enhanced our lives. In part nine we look at technology that advanced civilisation.

Read More Read Less

Language

We use complex forms of communication to convey information to each other. There are between 5,000 and 7,000 spoken languages world-wide.

Innovation

  • Robots for kids: STEM kits and more tech gifts for hackers of all ages
  • The best VR and AR headsets for business and personal use
  • The best 3D printers for business and home use
  • What is AI? Everything you need to know
  • We are living a dizzying rate of technological change. Is it good for us? (ZDNet YouTube)
  • Free PDF: Robotics in the enterprise (TechRepublic)
Published: August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT)

Caption by: Eileen Brown

1 of 12 NEXT PREV

Related Topics:

Innovation After Hours CXO Digital Transformation Tech Industry Smart Cities
Eileen Brown

By Eileen Brown for Social Business | August 30, 2016 -- 16:27 GMT (09:27 PDT) | Topic: Innovation

Show Comments
LOG IN TO COMMENT
  • My Profile
  • Log Out
| Community Guidelines

Join Discussion

Add Your Comment
Add Your Comment

Related Galleries

  • 1 of 3
  • Remote working, programming languages, artificial intelligence, and more: ZDNet's research roundup

    From the growth in remote working to the rise of automation and onto the demand for wearable devices, here's the research that matters from the past month in tech news. ...

  • Pitfalls to Avoid when Interpreting Machine Learning Models

    Modern requirements for machine learning models include both high predictive performance and model interpretability. A team of experts in explainable AI highlights pitfalls ...

  • Toshiba laptops through the ages

    Toshiba’s 35-year run in the laptop business is at an end, but what a journey it has been.

  • Innovative projects now online to combat coronavirus outbreak

    The spread of COVID-19 has a small silver lining: highlighting how innovative humankind can be under pressure. Here are our favorite examples.

  • Top programming languages, 5G worries, cloud computing, and more: Research round-up

    All the facts and figures that matter to you and your business from the past month in technology news.

  • Samsung Galaxy S20 first look: All the models and colors up close

    Here is Samsung's latest flagship range, in all its glory.

  • Google Maps turns 15: A look back on where it all began

    A timeline of Google Maps through the years since it was launched in 2005.

ZDNet
Connect with us

© 2021 ZDNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Privacy Policy | Cookie Settings | Advertise | Terms of Use

  • Topics
  • Galleries
  • Videos
  • Sponsored Narratives
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About ZDNet
  • Meet The Team
  • All Authors
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Reprint Policy
  • Manage | Log Out
  • Join | Log In
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Site Assistance
  • ZDNet Academy
  • TechRepublic Forums