Top 10 Scientific Inventions: X-Ray Places First

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The X-ray machine has been voted the best scientific invention, with one in five fingering the machine having made the greatest impact on the past, present and future.

The BBC reports that the London Science Museum asked 50,000 people to vote for the scientific development that they felt had had the most impact on society. The list of 10 inventions short listed for the award includes the most significant objects in science, engineering, technology and medicine, such as Penicillin, the Apollo 10 capsule and DNA double helix.

The top three spots were dominated by medicine, with the Apollo 10 capsule taking 4th place and the V2 rocket engine ticking in at number 5.

Check out the complete rankings below.

1st place - X-ray machines

2nd place - Penicillin

3rd place - DNA double helix

4th place - Apollo 10 capsule

5th place - V2 Rocket Engine

6th place - Stephenson's Rocket

7th place - Pilot ACE Computer

8th place - Steam Engine

9th place - Model T Ford

10th place - Electric Telegraph

Do you agree with the results or do you think another invention should have taken the top spot, or at least been included in the poll? Let us know in the comments below!

Jane McEntegart

Jane McEntegart works in marketing communications at Intel and was previously Manager of Content Marketing at ASUS North America. Before that, she worked for more than seven years at Tom's Guide and Tom's Hardware, holding such roles as Contributing Editor and Senior News Editor and writing about everything from smartphones to tablets and games consoles.

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123 Comments Comment from the forums
  • x86 processors! Must be in top 10 as they are almost everywhere!
    They have been around just over 20 years and look at the changes they made to our everyday life.
    Reply
  • Where is the internet? How would all of this data be shared without our beloved web?
    Reply
  • Jerky_san
    Would think penicillin would be first.. Considering it was one of the largest advancements in medicine at the time.. It saved countless lives in world war 2.
    Reply
  • SneakySnake
    How is the DNA Double Helix an invention?? It's a discovery, but not really an invention
    Reply
  • r0x0r
    Microchips.

    Also agree with the electric telegraph, without which we would not have had phone networks, without which we would not have had the bringer or por-, erm, the internet.
    Reply
  • awaken688
    The microprocessor. There are others I would pick too. Weird list if you ask me.
    Reply
  • rajangel
    1. AC electricity
    2. Electromagnet
    Reply
  • napalmdest54
    Microprocessor? Your not thinking hard enough. The transistor should be number one on that list. Transistors are used in every piece of modern electronic device. Also to add to the list where is sonar, radar, the internet, the light bulb, the radio, etc. That list they provided sucks.
    Reply
  • kvnobrien
    The light bulb isn't on there?
    Reply
  • rambo117
    SneakySnakeHow is the DNA Double Helix an invention?? It's a discovery, but not really an inventiongene splicing is sorta an invention.. which allowed us to genetically engineer Insulin. But your right, we didnt invent DNA lol
    Reply