What is the single most greatest machine mankind has ever built?

[bietjiedof]

I'm with PCC - seems to me the refrigerator was a massive paradigm-shift in the transport and storage of food, which transformed the global economy. And not only food - I was reading about the super-cooling of natural gas, to ship it around the world, changing the shape of energy-supply for decades to come. And would blood transfusions be practical without refrigeration? How many drugs and vaccines need to be kept cool? And, dammit, there's cold beer and ice-cream...

 

[Steve K]

Refrigeration is great, but there used to be a business of harvesting ice from lakes (in places where winter got cold enough), and stockpiling the ice in caves and insulated warehouses. The ice was sold for use in ice-boxes (the forerunner of the refrigerator), in refrigerated railroad cars (for the shipping of perishable goods), and even used in caves by Anheuser-Busch around St. Louis for storing beer.
It's a lot easier to just use modern refrigeration systems, though.

 

[Julian Holtz]

I heard that the lack of refrigeration techniques was responsible for the downfall of the Roman Empire.
Rome became so big, that the food had to be transported for longer and longer times, as the hinterland became bigger and bigger. By the time it arrived in the inner city, it was half-rotten. So one could either eat this, or dried meat, which is not known for containing many vitamines.
Because of this, half of the inhabitants of Rome died each year. Try to keep an administration running in these conditions.

The Germans, at least, had sauerkraut. It is both rich of vitamin C and can be stored for a long time. Barrels of sauerkraut enabled James Cook to circumnavigate the world without losing his crew to scurvy.

 

[P_A_S_1]

I love sauerkraut, it's a very underrated side-dish/condiment.

 

[bietjiedof]

I love sauerkraut, it's a very underrated side-dish/condiment.

Yes, but is it a MACHINE? :shakehead

 

[EZO]

How about sauerkraut powered robots! Does that count?

 

[orbital]

^

It's Alive!!

wonder how it would go on pickled habaneros?

 

[bietjiedof]

How about sauerkraut powered robots! Does that count?

Definitely! Gets my vote :thumbsup:

 

[HighlanderNorth]

^

It's Alive!!

wonder how it would go on pickled habaneros?

Looks like ill never find out because due to the 12 inches of rain weve gotten in the last 3 weeks my habaneros aren't even growing after 3 weeks of being in the ground. At least they aren't flat out dying like some of my other plants though.

As far as top machines, the microprocessor, the internal combustion engine, the steam engine back in the day, the liquid fueled rocket. The centrifuge(?)

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

......The still.....:drunk:

~ Chance

 

[Lynx_Arc]

If it hadn't been said already I would add in the electric motor/generator. This allowed conversion of mechanical force into electricity and electricity into mechanical force. Without generators most electrical power wouldn't exist we would have to use batteries and solar panels.

 

[Chauncey Gardiner]

It's the still, hic, the still.

~ Chance

 

[RedLED]

The epic and prolific journey of Apollo 11, and subsequent missions. They paved the way to all the technology we have today. Or, the 40 acre complex under Ft. Mead, MD...you decide!

Edit: Add: I guess I was ahead the curve...

 

[Norm]

Several unsuitable posts and quote of said posts have been deleted, the usual suspects know who they are. - Norm

 

[Federal LG]

To the OP:

The greatest machine ever ir the air conditioner! I live in Brazil, and here it´s very HOT. Without them we all would be screwed!

 

[ash9nine]

I think the Microwave is the greatest machine ever made.

 

[jamie.91]

Maybe something like the ISS, space shuttle or the mars rover etc ?

 

[StarHalo]

the mars rover etc ?

About that; today is day 3,652 of Opportunity's 90-day mission, happy tenth to Earth's most reliable wheeled vehicle that just happens to not be on Earth..

 

[jamie.91]

About that; today is day 3,652 of Opportunity's 90-day mission, happy tenth to Earth's most reliable wheeled vehicle that just happens to not be on Earth..

AWESOME! That's what I call engineering!

 

[xv-750]

The Motorcycle

Specifically, The Yamaha XV-750 of course.