Time magazine's 50 best inventions of 2008

Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:24PM EDT

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Save for its omission of the portable fusion generator I'm working on in my garage, Time magazine has done a bang-up job of rounding up the 50 best, most innovative, and most potentially life-changing inventions of the year.

I don't have room to outline the entire top 50 here (and some of the pics are, frankly, questionable), but here are some of the magazine's most interesting and spot-on selections.

41. The Peraves MonoTracer (Picture right) - Even if you don't ride a motorcycle, you've got to love the enclosed design of this two-seater-two-wheeler. Sadly, these designs never seem to come to the U.S.

33. Biomechanical Energy Harvester - Walking around wastes endless energy. Why not capture some of that power to charge gadgets while you're striding? When they build this technology into sneakers it's going to be huge.

24. Bionic Contacts - Bringing you your personal HUD, for real.

14. The Mobile, Dexterous, Social Robot - It's only a matter of time before they start replacing us bloggers.

13. The Memristor - A theoretical electronics component becomes a reality 37 years after it is hypothesized. Could change just about everything about computers over the next 5 to 10 years.

11. Green Crude - Gas from algae. Delicious, nutritious, car-fueling algae.

10. The World's Fastest Computer (Picture right) - Always fun to see these supercomputer cats one-up each other. The Roadrunner broke the petaflop barrier and is now installed at Los Alamos National Laboratory where it plays Tic-Tac-Toe against itself all day long.

5. The Large Hadron Collider - Even if it makes a black hole that destroys the earth, it'll be worth it because it's that cool.

2. The Tesla Roadster - A 125 mph electric car. Definitely want.

1. The Retail DNA Test (Picture right) -  For $399 you can find out what your risks are for developing genetic-based diseases -- and how your hypothetical children might fare, as well. I'm deeply afraid of these tests because I'm already totally paranoid about my health as it is. I badly bruised my foot this week and a little web searching had me convinced it was a life-threatening brown recluse spider bit. Do I really need my genes telling me I have an 80 percent chance of Alzheimer's? Yikes. Still, very cool idea and finally affordable.

Comments on Time magazine's 50 best inventions of 2008

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  • 6 Posted by toolman29505 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    I agree completely about the DNA kit as well. The cycle on the other hand...

  • 7 Posted by runninron69 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    What? Would it have been so hard to add a hyper-link to the article? I agree with your parents.You really did turn out to be a worthless little twit.

  • 8 Posted by tommy.stearns on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    that is some kool stuff that plp r starting to make im realy shock how yahoo gets all this awsome stuff

  • 9 Posted by willdaap on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    "5. The Large Hadron Collider - Even if it makes a black hole that destroys the earth, it'll be worth it because it's that cool." Is it really that cool?? I mean, um, the end of the world would be "cool?"

  • 11 Posted by darkjerms on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    Home DNA tests.. send us a sample of your DNA with your name and address.. atleast we know how the government plans to build its dna database beyond convicts...

  • 12 Posted by eleven_bravo_hooah on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    Like just mabye 5 min ago I had the idea for the Biomechanical Energy Harvester. I hadn't had a name for it yet but I did think it would be cool. And save on batteries

  • 13 Posted by fgbuenavista on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:59PM EDT Report Abuse

    I'm totally fascinated bout that Hadron Collider thing. So cool, yet so scary.

  • 15 Posted by kambaj8 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    wow... if you have ever seen Gattaca then you will realize that the DNA Tester that they were thinking wasn't gonna be around for a while is around now... interesting. btw, i had to watch it 4 skool, not that great of a movie

  • 16 Posted by shelbywaller2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    ! dont see 50 there and some I dont know what the heck they are???

  • 17 Posted by roomoleum on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:51PM EDT Report Abuse

    I'm kind of pilssed about the Biomechanical Energy Harvester because I designed a virtually identical device. I'm glad it's out there, though. Maybe people will finally start to recognize the value of micro-energy production. That's a major focus of mine. I intend to make some huge contributions to the future of this concept. I'm 21 and I can't wait until I get my BSME four years from now. [hopefully] PS I'm passionate, not arrogant. :)

  • 19 Posted by a_peesapati on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:00PM EDT Report Abuse

    i knew about the tesla roadster literally a year and a half ago...nice to see that it's capabilities are finally being noticed!!! btw this was a cool list

  • 20 Posted by manzano_roger on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:05PM EDT Report Abuse

    Not to take away from the list, but ten years from now, there will be a totally radical list of new technology breakthroughs. What I find really amazing about our capabilities, as humans, to develop and bring such ideas into fruition, is that it has only been like this for but a few 'seconds.' in humanities lifetime. That is why I look forward to seeing what ten, thirty or fifty years of science, research and development will bring to us. In addition, we also have to consider that with the rest of the world playing catchup, perhaps what would have been accomplished in twenty will be done in ten years. Simply amazing.

  • 21 Posted by michealleis on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:18PM EDT Report Abuse

    they all seem impractle will they turn a profit

  • 22 Posted by dawgpen913 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    The Large Hadron Collider - Even if it makes a black hole that destroys the earth, it'll be worth it because it's that cool. Now that is funny!!!!

  • 23 Posted by simple_mofo on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:23PM EDT Report Abuse

    about that large hadron collider... isn't there something similar to that in Dan Brown's novel Angels and Demon? it was probably completely fabricated, but i think in the novel, the device was so huge that it was constructed under ground for miles long.

  • 25 Posted by sailingmd on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:00PM EDT Report Abuse

    How can I trust someone that claims to have 50 inventions but only has 10 when I get here to read about them???

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