Beer
Catseyes (roads)
Internal Combustion Engine
Flight
Electricity
The Compass


However, I think it was to do with small inventions rather than the biggies - the things that you never really think "what a great invention" - but just use regardless - like a bottle opener, like a multipin plug socket etc etc.

selotape, it ROCKS my world and has a bazillion uses, all sticking things together related, but still fun.

Infra Red remote controls mean i dont need to get up to change the channel, you beautie!

I can't believe nobody mentioned the wheel!! tis a bit hard to go around with square blocks under the cart isn't it??

ohh well either that, or the micro-chip now theres a small invention for ya.
Without the invention of the microchip, we would possibly be doing the weather (yes folks and female, there it is again) with binoculars nowadays

our computers would barely go into one building, and aeroplanes would still be going by on astro navigation with a s*xtant or having the copilot go by on recognition points. Well I think its kinda hard to imagine how the microchip changed our lives, for instance without its invention, we wouldn't be speaking to eachother here, we wouldn't even have a clue of eachothers existance without it.

Compact discs (and I suppose DVDs as well)

It's not made the world much a better place, but I think we can all agree it's been very useful. Lots of people don't quite realise how much information you can get on a CD, especially considering that it's not all that big either. Don't know where I'd be without CDs. Not on this site, for sure

I actually meant small inventions as those that we dont really see as great invensions, but you cant live without them, Chips actually said it nicely.

Ok then, how about books? We don't revere the person who invented them (whoever it was) but I couldn't live without them

The Lighter.

Just imagine spending 20 minutes with two twigs just so you can have a cigarette or something.

my dad claims the dude who invented the lighter owes him some money

They have had the lighter around for centurys, its called the "flint and steel" got fires going in a jiffy.

I invented the non-hinged adjustable bookshelf and the combination tv/video wall bracket (I really did)

"..send another Musa to free his children from dis' Babylon.."

And humanity is so much better off for it

without me and my inventions, civilisation would have ground to a halt years ago. now i can die knowing I've made my mark upon the world with the Tawakalna adjustable non-hinged shelf-bracket.

"..send another Musa to free his children from dis' Babylon.."

Gotta wonder what the first person to milk a cow was thinking....

I was wondering who was the idiot who could make such a set I guess now I know