It really is hard to measure the benefits of inventions to society. Every part of modern life has resulted in some way from an invention. The very computer screen itself that you read this article from was an invention by James Fergason. And the television that you watched the news on this morning was an invention by Philo Farnsworth. Think about all the tools you have used today; each one of them has been invented by someone, including the wheel. Without inventions, our society would not be the advanced society it is today, and human beings wouldn’t be the dominant species on this planet.

Basically, society owes bucket loads to inventors because they have shaped the very ground we walk on. And by inventing, people have literally changed civilization forever. Most of us have air conditioning in our houses because of an inventor, our roads are sealed with tar because of an inventor, and every aspect of the very society we as human beings are a part of is the result of an inventor. The only aspect of our lives that is untouched by inventions is the fresh food we eat, but even that wouldn’t get to our mouths as quickly if it wasn’t for the invention of farming equipment, trucks, or supermarket shelves. So we really can say from the minute we get up to the minute we go to bed that inventions are in some way benefiting our lives. Even as we sleep, inventions are benefiting society.

Here’s a little exercise for you to do: close your eyes for 10 seconds and block all the light out of your eyes. If it is night time as you read this article, that’s even better. Just for 10 seconds close your eyes, and then re-open your eyes. Notice the lights giving you the ability to see? Without the invention of the light bulb by Thomas Edison, that wouldn’t be possible.

Think how small the world has become as the result of inventions. The Wright Brothers inventing the airplane was the first step towards the invention of commercial flights. As a result, we can basically be anywhere in the whole world within 40 hours or less. Now that’s a real benefit to society as the result of an invention.

Not only have inventions helped us stay more comfortable in society, but they have also helped us become safer and healthier. Think of the countless lives that have been saved as the result of the invention of the simple guardrail. How about the invention of the needle? That single invention has resulted in medication being able to be delivered quicker and more effectively to society. That invention alone has saved millions or even billions of lives. That is a massive benefit that has come to society as the result of inventions. There are literally millions of more situations like these where inventions have benefited society.

Inventions really are the cornerstone of modern society and the number of benefits of inventions to society that have resulted from inventions is unmeasurable. It is so great in proportion, but it’s most likely safe to say that the benefits of inventions to society as the result of inventions have been massive.