h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

The Chrysler Building
The Channel Tunnel
The Arab World Institute Building, Paris
The internet
Wetwipes
footsteps on the Moon
Tayto Cheese'n'onion crisps.
Flavoured vodka

Oops, that's more than 7. hang on I'll just eat the crisps

Wetwipes

I also would say that the old constructions were symbols of achievement. In our day where building something is fairly simple, something like putting footsteps on the Moon is more of an achievement.

You gonna pass those crisps around or what?

My 7 wonders of the modern world would have to be (in no particular order):

Maitreya Buddha project
Channel Tunnel
International Space Station
Crazy Horse Memorial
Chysler Building
Akashi Kaikyo Suspension Bridge

I think it wrong to suggest that the wonders of the ancient world were described as such, "because of how difficult building them must have been with relatively basic technology".

All of the research to date actually suggests that they were not difficult to build at all, relatively speaking, because they used technology and methodologies that have since become outdated and therefore forgotten.

They were wonders because they were particularly fine examples of architecture and engineering from an era with few records to explain how and why they were built at all.

Personally I also think it a mistake to include the internet or any of the similar acheivements of the 20th century.

The wonders of the ancient world were large construction projects, the like of which were rarely undertaken, requring a massive human effort to create a permanent struture.

I have chosen my modern wonders on a similar basis.

I had been going to post earlier, but my connection died. Which has a certain irony, as you will see.

The earlier definition that a Wonder of the World is something which makes you feel awe or wonder works well for me.

The first thing that I am continually, daily, almost hourly amazed by the wonder and power of is THE INTERNET, and I am surprised no-one has mentioned it yet. I am continually delighted that I can buy obscure books at the click of a button, that I can chat with people I have never met, that I can play in playgrounds like this one. The internet has made and will make more difference to all of our lives than any of us really grasp, myself included.

The second thing that came out of the 20th century which gives me a buzz is CHEAP INTERNATIONAL AIR TRAVEL. I fly (within Europe) most weeks, and even so, I get a buzz every single time I look at the departures and arrivals boards and see the names of the places I could be going to or arriving from. Even when I have just got off a plane I still look at the ones taking off, and wonder where they are going to.

The third thing which impresses me is the ATM NETWORK. I mean, how do they *do* that? I can get a credit-card sized piece of plastic out of my purse, and in any country in Europe, and most countries in the world, put it in a machine, tap a few numbers and get local currency. (It *does* help if it actually is an ATM. I tried it once with the ticket machine for the car park in Lyons airport, and it gave me nothing but grief. In French).

The fourth and fifth things that impress me are SUPERMARKETS, and PRECOOKED MEALS. It is pretty damn amazing that one can eat fresh strawberries just about any day of the year, and buy a box containing just about any cuisine one can think of and bung it in a mike. The logistical infrastructure boggles my mind, and the chemical and mechanical technology behind preparing the meals is impressive too. Such a shame that it tastes almost completely but not quite entirely unlike food.

The sixth thing is MODERN DENTISTRY. It is painless and sophisticated, and I thank the god I do not beleive in that I was born when I was and that comfortable teeth are a matter of bugeting your money.

The seventh thing? Mmmm. It has been said already, but FOOTSTEPS ON THE MOON are pretty wonderful, no?

B

Yes, when did the russians pun yuri into space and then think of the computing power you may be sitting infront of now and then think would you trust your PC to take you to space and back. Those of you not using M$ windows may trust it a little more

The thing which brought home to me the state of computing at the time of the space missions was reading the book 'Apollo 13'. They had to recalculate the course, as you may remember, and because it was kinda important to him Alan Shepherd got Huston to check his math.

When I was reading it I wondered why on earth (or indeed in space) he didn't check it himself with a calculator...

And then I remembered.

Ben

Believe it or not, Apollo 13 had less onboard computing power than an average modern car.
And people still back them into stationary objects.

The ISS was mentioned above. I think the only wonder in that is getting funds budgeted. If like mir it outlasts it's spec and has to be forceably retired by being pushed into the atmosphere. Then I'll be impressed.

Space probes like voyager. Barring collision they'll be a human structure possibly outlasting the civilisation that created them.

Oh, I will definitely believe that.

In fact I would be surprised to find it had any on-board computing at all, considering that it was pre-integrated-circuits.

I did my first computing on a DEC PDP11, (which dates me, if you can count the carbon rings accurately). I have since heard, but find it hard to beleive because of the size of the things, that they are now used as the throw-away on board computers for the Patriot missile. So if anyone can tell me yeay (or more likely nay) on that I'd appreciate it.

The more I read about the space missions, the more they amaze me, and the more it guts me that all we do now is send little 1'x1'x1' beach buggies to Mars.

a child of the space age called Ben
(Remember that?)

I think the space age would be more impressive if the Buran (soviet shuttle) hadn't run out of money. With a much larger payload many more things would have been economicaly feaseable.

http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/rsa/buran.html
It orbited twice and landed 5 feet off the center line of the runway, completely unmanned in 1988.

I'd belive what you say about the computer being used as throw away missile guidence. The Z80 (heart of my first computer) became throw away and sold by the boxful and used for calculators.

I will consider the internet a wonder the day it becomes useful. At the moment it's all porn and bad jokes. One day when everybody has a handheld computer with access to a database like H2G2 with all the knowledge of the world, and ability to talk to someone on the other side of the planet, I'll consider it a wonder.

And ATMs, bah! They break down all the time. And what is so amazing about being able to get money from them and such. The basic principle is very simple, I think any person with some technical know how could make one.

What about airplanes? Those are interesting, and something man has dreamed about for a long time.

I agree with Flinch, we don't seem to put our collective wills together and build or create really impressive things anymore

The Angel of the North (massive statue in the North of England) I like. I think Scotland needs something similar. Glasgow City Council would do well to stop squandering money on digging up roads or building a stupid wee urban parks that get trashed by neds and build something that will make tourists (and natives) say "cool".

My modern "wonders":

1) I wonder if I set the alarm when I left the house this morning
2) I wonder if that's my mobile ringing
3) I wonder how a deposed Nigerian dictator got my email address
..and so on.

Many of todays wonders will probably perish soon. I would like if we could make something wonderful and lasting. So when our civilization has died out, the new one will be able to look at it and feel awe and amazement. They will talk about how we could ever achieve such a wondrous thing, and probably come to the conclusion we must have had help from aliens

I would include the Super Lamb Banana

http://news6.thdo.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_95000/95713.stm

Surely something this bizarre, costing £35,000 and weighing 7.5tonnes is worthy of more than ridicule.

I'm just glad I come from a city with enough sense of humour to enjoy it instead of get on a high horse.

Going for the contentious vote here. In no particular order:

The Millennium Dome, London - that is a structure to behold. The contents may have been kak and the amount of money spent scandalous but the only building which has come close in an awe inspiring type way, that I have seen was the Taj Mahal.

Saporo Stadium, Japan - you know, the one where the pitch lives outside and then moves inside and twizzles round when it's needed - absolutely amazing.

The Falkirk Wheel - http://www.falkirk-wheel.com/ - a piece of engineering unlike anything ever ...

I'd have to agree with Mount Rushmore as that is just amazing.

So that's 4 ... another 3



I'll have to get back to you with these 3 ...

Xanatic - what about internet banking, internet supermarket shopping, constant contact with family members a long way away, discussions with people you've never met on the other side of the world, world news.

There are portable computers you can access h2g2 on. WAP phones

(around 71% percent of homes here have net access)

Eiffel Tower: is that C20th?
The eden project, UK
the ...towers in malaysia: the tallest in the world
a sky dish
Guelle Park, Barcelona
The sock man, Loughborough, UK [it's a new precedent in hideousness!]

...need one more!

Petrona Towers, butI think only the tallest because they put a spire on top.

Eiffel was 1912 or so.

What about the Arecibo disc, was classified as an engineering wonder.