An Invention which has Changed and Impacted Human Life - Essay Example

Inventions that have changed the way we live today Introduction “Necessity is the mother of invention”! is such an apt saying, especially when we consider the strides in progress and the advancement of Science and Technology in the life of man. In fact, man has come a very long way from the Stone Age where he used to hunt for his food! Indeed inventions have made a great difference to our ways of living and have definitely made the Stone Ages and all other Ages after that, a thing of the past! As I sit in front of my computer, trying to pick out what is that one invention which has changed and impacted human life in far-reaching ways, I find myself surrounded by myriad possibilities. Right in front of me is the computer with its World Wide Web which has revolutionized communication, while the air conditioner which keeps the room cool is another invention which comes to mind. As I think, my thirst takes me to the refrigerator, and this too seems an invention worthy of being called one of the greatest. In trying to make up my mind regarding the best invention, my friend calls me up on my phone asking me to go out with her. It seems a welcome break and so I decide to take a shower and as I switch on the water heater this gadget too fulfill all the criteria of an invention which has impacted daily human life. We go to a movie and when I get back home, I walk inside and switch on the lights. Switching on the light proves to be my eureka moment, for I realize, that if it had not been for electricity we would still be sitting in the dark in the evenings, devoid of entertainment, cut off from friends, huddling in the cold in winter and sweating profusely in the summer. In addition to that we cannot watch television or movies and why, we even could not get a glass of cold water from the refrigerator nor connect ourselves with the World Wide Web! My God! We would be leading the life of a monk and home would be nothing more than a monastery! I was hit with a thunderbolt as it were when I realized that electricity is at the basis of most of the inventions! Electricity has indeed changed human lives in more ways than we can imagine and we should consider ourselves lucky that we don’t belong to the Stone Age! The benefits of electricity are so multifarious because it touches human life every moment of everyday. In today's age of environmental consciousness and the need to create clean energy sources, electricity enjoys the benefit of being pollution free because “it can be converted into heat without combustion… at exceptionally high efficiency” with “no waste products whatsoever.”(Finch, W.N.C) The energy from the sun is being harnessed to produce electricity, which in turn powers industries and households, and electricity generated by nuclear fuels may negate all the harmful effects of power generation on the environment as well as being economically viable. Family life has been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this amazing phenomenon called electricity, the use of which is seen in all the household appliances which make life simple and easy. The backbreaking work of the homemaker has been greatly reduced. The washing machine powered by electricity makes washing clothes a less arduous job, while the refrigerator has eliminated the need to be in the kitchen constantly, by storing food better, without fear of spoilage. The mixer- grinder helps us concoct and grind our own masalas as well as condiments to make our cooking more tasty. The microwave oven has reduced cooking time as well as made it possible to serve piping hot food in a matter of minutes. The vacuum cleaner has made the concept of a clean house feasible for almost all, without the attendant troubles of bending and cleaning out every nook and cranny. The ladies of yore who labored for hours, at their domestic chores, have taken on the added responsibility of providing financial stability for their homes, because their domestic workload has been greatly reduced and they are free to pursue alternative jobs, which has brought greater prosperity. The field of communication has made revolutionary strides powered by electricity, which operates our computers, telephones, and mobile networks. Keeping in touch with relatives, friends and associates was never this easy. Faster communication has led to a burgeoning of trade and commerce between nations, so that maximum number of people is able to reap the maximum benefits of modernization. The era of 24X7 entertainment has been made possible due to John Baird’s invention of the television, which again is powered by the electricity. Accessing news, watching movies, taking part in game shows, listening to songs have all been made possible due to the miracle of electric power. What was once the preserve or luxury of the rich and affluent, or city dwellers has now become a necessity that is both affordable and available to greater numbers of the population. The same applies to the field of education also, for anyone who wishes to study has only to navigate the World Wide Web, and information on everything under the sun, is there at the click of a mouse, which works on the invention of Nikola Tesla, the man who pioneered the generation and transmission of alternating current. Its impact on rural life has been so dramatic, that most farm owners could actually relax after finishing work in their fields much faster, than before the advent of electricity. It powered “labor saving appliances in the farmhouse and machines in the barns… powered water pumps for irrigation and cisterns for running water at kitchen sinks and indoor bathrooms.”(Reinhardt, Ganzel, 2003). Even the humble home lawn is being mowed and kept tidy with the help of the electric mower. Apart from the utility that it provides, electricity has made safe daily life. In the absence of electricity people depended on candles and gas lamps to illuminate the evenings, which did result in accidental fires. The light bulb has dispelled the darkness without any threat to life and property. The humble Christmas light has replaced the candles put up on trees and its safety aspects cannot be doubted. One of the least seen but ever present benefits of electricity is seen in the field of medicine and medical technology, which have greatly enhanced the study of symptoms as well as the treatment of diseases. The ubiquitous x-ray machine, the electrocardiogram, the chilled rooms to store blood samples and the latest stem cells are all dependent on electricity. In the treatment of paralytic afflictions, electrical treatment is very effective and in cases of people losing speech after a fit of epilepsy, the use of electricity help in recovery of voice. (M. Pelligrini). Most modern-day medical equipments work on electrical current and it can be said without a doubt that electricity has helped to alleviate the lives of the old and infirm, as well as of those who suffer from certain mental diseases. Electricity has been variously called the “elixir of life” (Wesley) and Richard Lovett defined it as the "subtle, or integral but unseen, essence of life.” It is an invention, and not so much a discovery, because it is a creation wrought by the thought process of man and has come to its present state through experimentation. It also meets the criteria for an invention as set forth by the United States Patent Office, according to which it has to be novel, non-obvious and have utility. It meets all these benchmarks credibly, and as for its utilitarian aspect, it is well known that modern life would come to a grinding halt, were it not for the cables and wires that provide us with electricity. Therefore, from my part I cannot deny the fact, that though so many inventions have made life much easier for all of us, but the one that stands out among the rest of all these great inventions is undoubtedly electricity which was not invented by any one person but by many great scientists. The first discovery was in the 6th century by a person named Thales of Mileutus who found static energy when he rubbed fur and an object together. Later in the 1550’s Gilbert, Cardno and Von Guerike carried out work on electro- magnetic forces. It was not until the 1770’s that Benjamin Franklin found a solid link between lightening and electricity which thereafter turned out to be the turning point and was considered to be an important field of study. References Written by Claudia Reinhardt and Bill Ganzel, the Ganzel Group. First written and published in 2003. Rural Electricity Changes Life in Rural Homes http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe30s/life_09.html The Relative Advantages of Electricity and Gas for Domestic Use ... http://rsh.sagepub.com/cgi/pdf_extract/53/7/347 John Wesley and the Eighteenth Century Therapeutic Uses of Electricity-H.NewtonMalony* Fuller Theological Seminary, 80 North Oakland Avenue Pasadena, CA 91101 3067. Therapeutic Uses Of Electricity http://chestofbooks.com/health/materia-medica-drugs/Practical-Therapeutics/3067-Therapeutic-Uses-Of-Electricity.html Who Invented Electricity? www.tech-faq.com/who-invented-electricity.shtml Read More