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Seven Wonders of the World?

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1. The Internet (well, all the tecnology behind the Internet: networking protocols, data transmission, satellites etc.)

2. The PC (architecture and the technology used to mass produce it)

3. Microsoft Software Engineering (Windows Xp & Vista, Visual Studio programming environment, Microsoft Office, etc.)

4. Apple (Mac, Iphone)

5. The Human Genome Project (and related research)

6. Burj Dubai Tower

7. McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 car (the one Hamilton drove last season).

Pending the results of their research, The Large Hadron Collider might (it's a big might) come in at number seven, replacing the F1 car. As far as more buildings breaking into the list, I'd doubt there's even a single one on the next 13 spots, in my view, because there are so many great achievements in other areas.

( I might even bump the Dubai Tower when I learn more about it -- I'm not convinced it's as spectacular as people say, and in the mean time there are huge steps forward in the fields of AI and materials science/nanotechnology that deserve a spot on the list)

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The lists are not as interesting as the proposed standard that these things are meeting to merit deeming them "Wonders of the World".

I would propose that size (or alternately scale for distributed projects) and importance (as measured by the number of people affected) be vital to any "Wonder" project.

And by what possible standard is something as trivial as a race car become a Wonder? Does it go faster than the speed of light? Is it a perpetual motion machine? :)

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The lists are not as interesting as the proposed standard that these things are meeting to merit deeming them "Wonders of the World".

I would propose that size (or alternately scale for distributed projects) and importance (as measured by the number of people affected) be vital to any "Wonder" project.

And by what possible standard is something as trivial as a race car become a Wonder? Does it go faster than the speed of light? Is it a perpetual motion machine? :confused:

My list is based on what causes an emotion of amazement (wonder), when I see it. (by seeing I mean understand its workings and usefulness in some detail)

I wouldn't claim to be able to decide on a list based on your criteria, frankly I don't think anyone has enough data and processing power to create an accurate list that way.

In the case of the F1 car it's not about the race, it's about the technology. (which is worth hundreds of millions even beyond the race). I haven't even seen a full race in years, but I am amazed by how those cars are made, and how that technology is transferred to road cars, and other more useful applications than the race.

Edited by Jake_Ellison
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1. The Internet (well, all the tecnology behind the Internet: networking protocols, data transmission, satellites etc.)

2. The PC (architecture and the technology used to mass produce it)

3. Microsoft Software Engineering (Windows Xp & Vista, Visual Studio programming environment, Microsoft Office, etc.)

4. Apple (Mac, Iphone)

5. The Human Genome Project (and related research)

6. Burj Dubai Tower

7. McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 car (the one Hamilton drove last season).

Pending the results of their research, The Large Hadron Collider might (it's a big might) come in at number seven, replacing the F1 car. As far as more buildings breaking into the list, I'd doubt there's even a single one on the next 13 spots, in my view, because there are so many great achievements in other areas.

( I might even bump the Dubai Tower when I learn more about it -- I'm not convinced it's as spectacular as people say, and in the mean time there are huge steps forward in the fields of AI and materials science/nanotechnology that deserve a spot on the list)

Obviously you are thinking about this as *specifically* the seven technological wonders of the world (whereas usually it's structures people are looking to list). Nothing wrong with that but such a list would probably need updating every month! (Which in itself is a wonder.)

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...

1. The Space Shuttle. Whole new technologies. Served for so long and did so much

2. Hubble Telescope

3. The US highway system

4. the Boeing 747

5. Hadron collider

6. U.S.S. Ronald Reagan: Representative of the New Supercarrier

7. X-Prize ship

1. The Space Shuttle. Whole new technologies. Served for so long and did so much

2. Hubble Telescope

3. The US highway system

4. the Boeing 747

5. Hadron collider

6. U.S.S. Ronald Reagan: Representative of the New Supercarrier

7. X-Prize ship

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1. The Space Shuttle. Whole new technologies. Served for so long and did so much

Was marred by design/mission compromises, never lived up to expectations, was more expensive than previos launch systems (although it could do thing previous systems couldn't), was too dangerous to fly because of the design comrpromises.

As an experimental system it was fine. Otherwise, no.

How about adding the Obama Teleprompter? It's artificial intelligence, yes? <_<

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Was marred by design/mission compromises, never lived up to expectations, was more expensive than previos launch systems (although it could do thing previous systems couldn't), was too dangerous to fly because of the design comrpromises.

/

The original mission was as a ferry/transport to a proposed manned space station. The Liberals killed that off and then The shittle became a camper as every agency in the government wanted a piece of the action and caused "mission creep"

How about adding the Obama Teleprompter? It's artificial intelligence, yes? :P

Obama is a wonder, the world's first biological ventriloquist's dummy. It's the teleprompter operator that's doing the voice-over, too. Obama just lip sync's

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The original mission was as a ferry/transport to a proposed manned space station.

The original mission was cheaper access to orbit. Bureaucracy did kill that, as it tasked the Shuttle with military missions, which forced design compromises like the huge wings (for greater gliding capability), which increased take-off weight, which eventually wound up with the big ET and SRBs.

The rest, I so stipulate, is as you claim.

Obama is a wonder, the world's first biological ventriloquist's dummy. It's the teleprompter operator that's doing the voice-over, too. Obama just lip sync's

Hail the Teleprompter of the United States!

I wonder what office it holds. Czar of something, I guess.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I would not call the Space Shuttle a wonder. It's great, but not a wonder.

The new Virgin Galactic spaceship, designed and built by Burt Rutan, the Whiteknight, is a much better design in all respects.

Burj Dubai is a cool supertall tower, but it's hardly a wonder. We have the technology to build a mile tall building with conventional materials, so when that get's built, I'll be amazed. The Burj is half a mile tall, though, and that's pretty amazing. They broke the record for highest concrete pour at nearly 600 meters, or 2000 feet. At that height, they had to properly balance pump pressure and the concrete mix they used to prevent it from drying and caking to the tubes as it went up but to ensure the pipes didn't explode.

I would call the artificial heart a wonder of the world.

I would also one-up you on the US Highway System (which is out of date and falling apart) with the private JR Rail system in Japan. They run the Shinkansen, or so-called "bullet train," although the name actually means "new trunk line" in Japanese. It has had only one accident in its entire operating history, and that was due to an earthquake. Only one person has been killed, and that was a freak accident involving a door that shut on him (the door didn't kill him). It's always on time (I know personally) and will often arrive the very SECOND it was scheduled to arrive. Also incredibly clean. In short, it is literally the safest form of transportation in the world. With only one death, nothing can beat it, not even walking.

Other than that, perhaps the tunneling electron microscope and anything like Hubble/Chandra X-Ray. I would also have to mention Honda's Asimo robot and nano-machines.

Edited by Krattle
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  • 5 months later...
Curious, what everyone here would rate as the current Seven Wonders of the World today?

I would list them (in no particular order):

1)Burj Dubai Tower

2)Three Gorges Dam

3)Akashi Kaikyō Bridge

4)Saturn V rocket

5)Antonov An-225 aircraft

6)Knock Nevis supertanker

7)Walt Disney World theme park.

I'd replace entry 3) with the Millau Viaduct in southern France which IMO is far more impressive and just so happens to be the worlds tallest bridge. It is my sincere hope that sometime within the next 20 years, Sky City Tokyo will be built and will be both the tallest AND largest structure ever built by humanity. :confused:

Edited by Tsiklon
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  • 4 weeks later...

The standard is based on sheer human achievement, assuming that more knowledge, more complexity, more organization, better philosophy, better distribution of philosophy and so forth.

1. America as a multi-ethnic empire - historically unmatched respect for the individual (by scale); non-ethnic 'American' race, non-racial 'American' race

2. The American Navy/Air Force - Utter, unmatched dominance of globe's seas. Global Strike capability, with air dominance. No major conflicts.

3. The American Economy - Scale of economy/economic culture both relative to history, and its contemporaries

4. The Apollo Program - while a 'spill over' , the Moon landing is a singular event in the biological history of man (complete emancipation from nature)

5. Modern Trade - Multi-modal transportation/Electronic commerce

6. Modern Petroleum Industry (production and uses) - ignoring all other energy production innovations

7. Objectivism - First full and consistent articulation of what made the above possible (though ranks last because of lag in explicit influence/recognition)

Edited by ZSorenson
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I beg to disagree on some of the proposed wonders.

1. The Space Shuttle was and is an abomination.

2. Disney Theme parks are schlock. High grade schlock, but schlock never the less.

On the some the other proposals I agree.

The Large Hadron Collider will rank well up there with the Great Pyramid of Kufu. It will be the final burial place of a great deal of treasure. I consider Richard Feynman's blackboard and note pad even greater Wonders.

Bob Kolker

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I'd replace entry 3) with the Millau Viaduct in southern France which IMO is far more impressive and just so happens to be the worlds tallest bridge. It is my sincere hope that sometime within the next 20 years, Sky City Tokyo will be built and will be both the tallest AND largest structure ever built by humanity. :P

I've seen this twice now. The "tallest bridge in the world" isn't the Millau Viaduct, it doesn't even come close. Leastwise, this phrase generally refers to the height of the deck above the ground, and the Millau doesn't even come close to being the record holder; there are three other bridges that beat it. The other related records (highest pylons and highest tower on top of a pylon) do belong to the Millau Viaduct. (What got me the first time around is the other article I was reading actually talked about the height of the bridge deck, and still said it was the Millau Viaduct). But generally "the world's tallest bridge" is taken to mean deck height.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millau_viaduct claims "The bridge’s construction broke three world records", and lists the deck height as one of the records broken! But read that bullet more closely--and it admits the Millau Viaduct didn't break this record! But it gets worse.... the record holder is given as the Royal Gorge bridge in Colorado http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Gorge_Bridge (and my knowing that it's over a thousand feet above the terrain is what first made me call "bullshit" on people claiming the Millau was the record holder). But as one reads the Royal Gorge article, *it* admits there is a higher bridge in China, and going to the list

apparently there are actually *two* bridges in China with even higher deck heights--which was news to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_talle...es_in_the_world.

(All this shows due diligence ought to be done with Wikipedia even when looking up non-politicized topics.)

This bit of nitpicking aside I have to state that the Millau Viaduct is a far more impressive structure overall than the Royal Gorge, since its span is *far*greater than the Royal Gorge's, and greater than either of the Chinese contenders.

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