I would argue that the advances in industrialization, miniaturization, energy, and computing are no less important that some of the more visibly valuable inventions in prior decades&#x2F;generations, but that they are largely supporting technology that provides a scaffolding for us to invent upon rather than inventions that [externally] impress by their own merits.  And it&#x27;s not like our race to the moon was technologically more impressive, either; we just had a direct application of technology we decided to pursue.  My $.02 is that for the past 20 years or so, when high-tech manufacturing exploded the domestic economies of the developing world, we&#x27;ve been in a dichotomous environment where the advanced nations continue to pursue original research [but in a largely aimless manner due to all sorts of political incompetence] while the rest of the world accelerates their internal development and jockey for position to gain seats at the table as humanity collectively decide what&#x27;s next.<p>&quot;Next&quot; may be manned flight to mars, or it may be elimination of fossil fuels, or eradication of disease, or something completely off the wall, but the point is that -- excepting poverty, war and education -- the world is in a pretty good place right now and the only thing separating most countries from another development-wise is money, not invention.