What invention made biggest impact in history?

Answer 1

In short:

The Microchip.

The detailed answer:

The computer revolutionized technology. Microchips made that technology abundant and cheap. If the computer was roughly on par with the airplane before microchips, after adding microchips, to continue the metaphor, It was the equivalent of a space ship. Fast forward a few years and your cellphone is the equivalent of faster-than-light space travel.

In fact there are researching looking at how to use android phones as satellites.

A microchip is an electronic device printed or etched onto the surface of a small wafer of silicon. They can contain millions, of transistors, resistors, and other circuit elements. These elements are created by etching or spraying onto the silicon through a mask.

You can find microchips in your TV, stereo, camera, telephone, cell phone, your car (many of them), your refrigerator, electric oven, microwave, and many other appliances, most things that use electricity these days most likely has a microchip in it.

You can put microchips in your pets, to keep track of them, and some people even opt to put them in themselves (pacemakers).

Have you thanked your microchips lately?