Bicycle chosen as best invention

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4513929.stm
Last Updated: Thursday, 5 May, 2005, 07:10 GMT 08:10 UK*

Bicycle chosen as best invention

The humble bicycle has won a UK national survey of people's favourite
inventions.

Listeners to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme were invited to vote
in an online poll looking at the most significant innovations since 1800.

It was an easy victory for the bicycle which won more than half of the
vote.

The transistor came second with 8% of the vote, and the electro-magnetic
induction ring - the means to harness electricity - came third.

Interplanetary travel

Despite their ubiquity, computers gained just 6% of the vote and the
internet trailed behind with only 4% of all votes cast. There were more
than 4,500 votes cast in total.

People chose the bicycle for its simplicity of design, universal use,
and because it is an ecologically sound means of transport.

The survey also asked participants which innovation they would most like
to disinvent.

GM foods came top of this poll with 26% of the vote, followed by nuclear
power with 19%.

By contrast, the technology most would like to see invented was an Aids
vaccine.

Alas, plans to ship long-suffering commuters to distant planets may need
to be put on hold with only 15% voting for an interplanetary commuting
transport system.

Half voted water treatment and supply systems as the technology to bring
most benefit to society.

Another 23% thought that vaccinations deserved the honour.

Each of the technologies were nominated by a different expert, including
writer Sir Arthur C Clarke, cloning expert Professor Ian Wilmut, and
Professor Heinz Wolff.

Prof Wolff's praise of the bicycle held the most sway with voters which
will come as a disappointment to Lord Alec Broers, this year's Reith
lecturer.

His series of lectures - Triumph of Technology - prompted the vote.

In the first of his talks, he expressed surprise at the results of a
similar survey.

It too ranked the bicycle above scientific breakthroughs such as
electricity generation, the jet engine, the discovery of DNA and the
invention of vaccinations.


Bicycle - 59%
Transistor - 8%
Electro-magnetic induction ring - 8%
Computer - 6%
Germ theory of infection - 5%
Radio - 5%
Internet - 4%
Internal combustion engine - 3%
Nuclear power - 1%
Communications satellite - 1%

--
54% of New York City households do not own cars

M A R T I N K R I E G : "Awake Again" Author
http://www.bikeroute.com/AwakeAgain
Bent Since '83, Car Free Since '89, '79 & '86 TransAms********
Coma, Paralysis, Clinical Death Survivor*
Can You Change it with Love?*
N A T I O N A L B I C Y C L E G R E E N W A Y

Cycle America wrote:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4513929.stm
Last Updated: Thursday, 5 May, 2005, 07:10 GMT 08:10 UK

Bicycle chosen as best invention

The humble bicycle has won a UK national survey of people's favourite
inventions.

Listeners to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme were invited to vote
in an online poll looking at the most significant innovations since 1800.

I know nothing of the "You and Yours" program, but I'd bet
most anything I own, that its listeners do not represent a
cross-section of the UK population. This shouldn't be taken
as a sign of an enlightened populace. Maybe there is some
hope though.

It was an easy victory for the bicycle which won more than half of the
vote.

The transistor came second with 8% of the vote, and the electro-magnetic
induction ring - the means to harness electricity - came third.

Interplanetary travel

Despite their ubiquity, computers gained just 6% of the vote and the
internet trailed behind with only 4% of all votes cast. There were more
than 4,500 votes cast in total.

People chose the bicycle for its simplicity of design, universal use,
and because it is an ecologically sound means of transport.

The survey also asked participants which innovation they would most like
to disinvent.

GM foods came top of this poll with 26% of the vote, followed by nuclear
power with 19%.

By contrast, the technology most would like to see invented was an Aids
vaccine.

Alas, plans to ship long-suffering commuters to distant planets may need
to be put on hold with only 15% voting for an interplanetary commuting
transport system.

Half voted water treatment and supply systems as the technology to bring
most benefit to society.

Another 23% thought that vaccinations deserved the honour.

Each of the technologies were nominated by a different expert, including
writer Sir Arthur C Clarke, cloning expert Professor Ian Wilmut, and
Professor Heinz Wolff.

Prof Wolff's praise of the bicycle held the most sway with voters which
will come as a disappointment to Lord Alec Broers, this year's Reith
lecturer.

His series of lectures - Triumph of Technology - prompted the vote.

In the first of his talks, he expressed surprise at the results of a
similar survey.

It too ranked the bicycle above scientific breakthroughs such as
electricity generation, the jet engine, the discovery of DNA and the
invention of vaccinations.


Bicycle - 59%
Transistor - 8%
Electro-magnetic induction ring - 8%
Computer - 6%
Germ theory of infection - 5%
Radio - 5%
Internet - 4%
Internal combustion engine - 3%
Nuclear power - 1%
Communications satellite - 1%

"Raymond Lillard" wrote in message
...
Cycle America wrote:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4513929.stm
Last Updated: Thursday, 5 May, 2005, 07:10 GMT 08:10 UK

Bicycle chosen as best invention

The humble bicycle has won a UK national survey of people's favourite
inventions.

Listeners to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme were invited to vote
in an online poll looking at the most significant innovations since
1800.

I know nothing of the "You and Yours" program, but I'd bet
most anything I own, that its listeners do not represent a
cross-section of the UK population. This shouldn't be taken
as a sign of an enlightened populace. Maybe there is some
hope though.

It sure isn't representative of typical Americans.

Raymond Lillard wrote:
Listeners to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme were invited to
vote in an online poll looking at the most significant innovations
since 1800.

I know nothing of the "You and Yours" program, but I'd bet
most anything I own, that its listeners do not represent a
cross-section of the UK population. This shouldn't be taken
as a sign of an enlightened populace. Maybe there is some
hope though.

"You and Yours" is something of a consumer advocacy/affairs programme:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/

I used to like it when it was on once a week and could go deeply into
issues, but now that it is every weekday, it skirts the "must fill up
the time" boundary.

It was an easy victory for the bicycle which won more than half of the
vote.

Much as I like the bicycle, I feel the transistor has benefitted society
far more. It may sometimes feel that the bicycle is ubiquitous, but the
transistor surely is.

--
R.

Richard Brockie "Categorical statements
The tall blond one. always cause trouble."

Richard Brockie wrote:
Raymond Lillard wrote:

Listeners to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme were invited to
vote in an online poll looking at the most significant innovations
since 1800.


I know nothing of the "You and Yours" program, but I'd bet
most anything I own, that its listeners do not represent a
cross-section of the UK population. This shouldn't be taken
as a sign of an enlightened populace. Maybe there is some
hope though.


"You and Yours" is something of a consumer advocacy/affairs programme:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/

I used to like it when it was on once a week and could go deeply into
issues, but now that it is every weekday, it skirts the "must fill up
the time" boundary.

It was an easy victory for the bicycle which won more than half of
the vote.


Much as I like the bicycle, I feel the transistor has benefitted society
far more. It may sometimes feel that the bicycle is ubiquitous, but the
transistor surely is.

I would stick with the bicycle. Too much time is being blown by
transistor driven entertainment, HDTV, Playstations, sitting in front of
a computer (guilty here) or trying to cram more computing power in a car
than should ever happen.
Bill Baka

It was an easy victory for the bicycle which won more than half of the
vote.

Much as I like the bicycle, I feel the transistor has benefitted society
far more. It may sometimes feel that the bicycle is ubiquitous, but the
transistor surely is.

The transistor is a device, whereas the bicycle is an application. Of course
the transistor, as a fundamental building block of nearly(?) everything
technological, is more important, or perhaps more worthy of being called the
"best invention" in that comparison. But comparing apples to apples, what
would you say of a comparison of the transistor vs the wheel?

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles
www.ChainReactionBicycles.com


"Richard Brockie" wrote in message
...
Raymond Lillard wrote:
Listeners to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme were invited to vote
in an online poll looking at the most significant innovations since
1800.

I know nothing of the "You and Yours" program, but I'd bet
most anything I own, that its listeners do not represent a
cross-section of the UK population. This shouldn't be taken
as a sign of an enlightened populace. Maybe there is some
hope though.

"You and Yours" is something of a consumer advocacy/affairs programme:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours/

I used to like it when it was on once a week and could go deeply into
issues, but now that it is every weekday, it skirts the "must fill up the
time" boundary.

It was an easy victory for the bicycle which won more than half of the
vote.

Much as I like the bicycle, I feel the transistor has benefitted society
far more. It may sometimes feel that the bicycle is ubiquitous, but the
transistor surely is.

--
R.

Richard Brockie "Categorical statements
The tall blond one. always cause trouble."

"Mike Jacoubowsky" wrote:

It was an easy victory for the bicycle which won more than half of the
vote.

Much as I like the bicycle, I feel the transistor has benefitted society
far more. It may sometimes feel that the bicycle is ubiquitous, but the
transistor surely is.

The transistor is a device, whereas the bicycle is an application. Of course
the transistor, as a fundamental building block of nearly(?) everything
technological, is more important, or perhaps more worthy of being called the
"best invention" in that comparison. But comparing apples to apples, what
would you say of a comparison of the transistor vs the wheel?

Almost apples to apricots. The wheel got us to the point where
transistors could be invented, or discovered. The bicycle itself is a
sideline, a useful and pleasurable diversion on our path to ...?

Raymond Lillard wrote:
Cycle America wrote:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4513929.stm
Last Updated: Thursday, 5 May, 2005, 07:10 GMT 08:10 UK

Bicycle chosen as best invention

The humble bicycle has won a UK national survey of people's
favourite
inventions.

Listeners to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme were invited to
vote
in an online poll looking at the most significant innovations since
1800.

I know nothing of the "You and Yours" program, but I'd bet
most anything I own, that its listeners do not represent a
cross-section of the UK population. This shouldn't be taken
as a sign of an enlightened populace. Maybe there is some
hope though.


As a bike-riding Brit the result certainly surprised me. Not sure what
the sample size was. 'You and Yours' (and BBC Radio 4 generally) has
I'd guess a predominantly middle-class, 30 years old upwards audience.
I don't think you'd find a similar result if a wider class and age
range was polled. I've never felt that the bicycle was held in the same
high esteem in Britain as in our European neighbours such as Holland,
Belgium and France.

wrote:
Raymond Lillard wrote:

Cycle America wrote:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4513929.stm
Last Updated: Thursday, 5 May, 2005, 07:10 GMT 08:10 UK

Bicycle chosen as best invention

The humble bicycle has won a UK national survey of people's

favourite

inventions.

Listeners to BBC Radio 4's You and Yours programme were invited to

vote

in an online poll looking at the most significant innovations since

1800.

I know nothing of the "You and Yours" program, but I'd bet
most anything I own, that its listeners do not represent a
cross-section of the UK population. This shouldn't be taken
as a sign of an enlightened populace. Maybe there is some
hope though.



As a bike-riding Brit the result certainly surprised me. Not sure what
the sample size was. 'You and Yours' (and BBC Radio 4 generally) has
I'd guess a predominantly middle-class, 30 years old upwards audience.
I don't think you'd find a similar result if a wider class and age
range was polled. I've never felt that the bicycle was held in the same
high esteem in Britain as in our European neighbours such as Holland,
Belgium and France.

Buy a short wave receiver and discover a whole new world exists out
there. They also give the real world news before it gets watered down
and censored for release to our radios and televisions. I get a lot from
BBC, radio Japan, Australia, Indonesia, and others when they are in the
English mode. There are also times they set aside for music from their
own country, usually instrumentals and quite relaxing. Running an
antenna is not that hard either. I have a collection going back to the
30's, most with tubes, but real radios that would give some new
transistor models fit trying to keep up.
Experience the world from a different point of view.
Warning, we are not that popular these days, in contrast to what Fox, et
al, will tell you.
Bill Baka