What was the most astonishing, history changing event of the last century?

Question

Muinghan, didn't WWII give us the space program?

Answer 1

The discovery of nuclear fission and thus the Atomic Bomb.

This ensured that the future of the world would be relatively short - alas it cannot be un-invented and the eventual means of destroying all life are now in the hands of MANY unstable and totally ruthless countries; Pakistan is just one example.  She shelters both Taliban and Al Qaeda alike and the US will have to be very careful how it treads there before its heavy feet spark off WW3 and ...

Answer 2

It would be easy to say the invention of the microchip or space flight.  It would also be easy to point to any individual war.

The answer is the discovery of Penicilin.  Before Penicilin the life expectancy in the US was 34 now because of penicilin and the derivatives as well as the advent of modern medicine the life expectancy is over 80 years in the US.

Before Penicilin people died from the flu, tuberculosis and syphillis.  Today syphillis and other bacteria don't pose a threat at all.  The discovery of Penicilin is the start of modern medicine.

Answer 3

The huge wars we fought like the two World wars. And the mass exterminations of people: not just the n**i holocaust, but also Stalin's purges and others. We finally saw how "evil" we are. And Europe stopped being the center of civilization as a result. [USA is next in this XXI century]

Answer 4

I'd have to say the discovery of DNA by Watson and Crick. I can't even imagine how many further advancements in medicine have been made possible to this day by that revelation.

Answer 5

man walking on the moon

Answer 6

the sexual revolution

Answer 7

What a question!  The last century has been filled with so many earth changing events, inventions and discoveries, it's nuts to try to isolate the most astonishing.

I think it would have to be the development of communications media and methods.

Because of all that is connected with communications, the entire world of humanity has changed and become so much smaller and in touch. Phones, TV, the Net.  Every so often, we get better, faster and more immediate information.

News photos and video take moments to get from around the world to our TV's.

When I was a kid, forty years ago, it took over two weeks to mail a letter to Europe from the U.S.  I remember my Gran writing her sister on onionskin paper, which was light for the purpose of Air Mail delivery.

Yesterday, I chatted with my sister, who lives in Italy, on Skype

which gives free live talk and video.  Gran would be spinning in her grave.

Answer 8

The Cold War. If there hadn't been The Cold War we wouldn't have had computers,satellites,internet. I think that The Cold War was the only war that we have something useful from.

Answer 9

Good, thought-provoking question.  To me I'd have to say the collapse of the Soviet Union which brough an end to the Cold War.  The collapse opened the doors of communications to hundreds of millions worldwide which paved the way for a true global economy.  I don't miss the threats of nuclear anhillation, either

Answer 10

This is tough.

At the TIME it HAPPENED.... it was World War II without a doubt.

But as for changing our history for the FUTURE.... the Space Program.

WWII gave us the world we have today.

The Space Program will give us the world we will live in tomorrow.

It's changing the "immediate" versus changing the way we will live for the rest of our lives.

The Space Program is the catalyst that actually BROUGHT a TON of this modern technology, scientific AND medical, we have today including computers, communication devices, digital, etc.

Answer 11

I guess it depends on what you mean.  Politically, it was WW2, because after the Nurenberg trials, it was implicitly decided that superpowers should police the world.  This led to the USA policing Vietnam and Iraq.  Russia has done its own policing, especially in the Middle East and southwestern Asia.

Answer 12

I like this question.  It could be so many things though.  I'll say the space program though just because you are learning more about earth that way and space.  The space program has also given us better technology so we can communicate around the world and get news faster.

I remember when internet came out and people were all about chat rooms and how amazed I was that I could have been talking to someone from a different country.  It blew my mind.

Answer 13

The most astonishing, history changing....there are a lot...too many to name....and to not repeat anyone's previous answer, I think September 11th and the destruction of the Twin Towers should be on here...just because it opened our eyes that things like this could happen here.

Answer 14

Not the most astonishing, but the most history changing.

The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in 1914.

It led to the world wars, besides all the people the wars took from the world, that had to be a major changing of history itself, the world wars led to most of the technological and medical advancements of the 20th century.

Answer 15

The Television Set, Internet, Windows 95, Flight, Hubble Space Telescope