The men who have saved more lives than anyone else in history.

[ChristineM]

Follow on from @Subduction Zone thread The man who accidentally killed the most people in history.
I would like to go to the opposite end of the scale and introduce the men who have saved more lives than anyone else in history.

Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch with their discovery a method to commercially manufacturer synthetic nitrogen which could be placed into fertilizer they have been credited for saving around 2,700,000,000 lives.

Norman Borlaug, i know is a particular hero of @Dan From Smithville
He was considered to be "the father of the Green Revolution", and is credited with saving at least a billion people worldwide from starvation.

Not to forget
Edward Jenner who invented the smallpox vaccine.
And.
Alaxander Fleming who discovered antibiotics.

 

[Augustus]

If overpopulation helps lead to significant environmental collapse, some people could be on both lists...

 

[Secret Chief]

Fritz Haber

Hate to be a party pooper but I just looked up Haber as I was curious and yes he's contributed greatly to food production but there is another side I see:

"Haber is also considered the "father of chemical warfare" for his years of pioneering work developing and weaponizing chlorine and other poisonous gases"
- Fritz Haber - Wikipedia

 

[ChristineM]

Hate to be a party pooper but I just looked up Haber as I was curious and yes he's contributed greatly to food production but there is another side I see:

"Haber is also considered the "father of chemical warfare" for his years of pioneering work developing and weaponizing chlorine and other poisonous gases"
- Fritz Haber - Wikipedia

Yes, he is also responsible for the deaths of many, that is not the subject of this thread though.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Follow on from @Subduction Zone thread The man who accidentally killed the most people in history.
I would like to go to the opposite end of the scale and introduce the men who have saved more lives than anyone else in history.

Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch with their discovery a method to commercially manufacturer synthetic nitrogen which could be placed into fertilizer they have been credited for saving around 2,700,000,000 lives.

Norman Borlaug, i know is a particular hero of @Dan From Smithville
He was considered to be "the father of the Green Revolution", and is credited with saving at least a billion people worldwide from starvation.

Not to forget
Edward Jenner who invented the smallpox vaccine.
And.
Alaxander Fleming who discovered antibiotics.

I was sure that I would see the name Norman Borlaug, who I know you admire.

EDIT: Oops. Just noticed it's there. Sorry.

 

[Revoltingest]

Follow on from @Subduction Zone thread The man who accidentally killed the most people in history.
I would like to go to the opposite end of the scale and introduce the men who have saved more lives than anyone else in history.

Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch with their discovery a method to commercially manufacturer synthetic nitrogen which could be placed into fertilizer they have been credited for saving around 2,700,000,000 lives.

Norman Borlaug, i know is a particular hero of @Dan From Smithville
He was considered to be "the father of the Green Revolution", and is credited with saving at least a billion people worldwide from starvation.

Those guys have done more to destroy the natural
world than any others in history. The expanding
world population is denuding the seas of life, &
paving over whatever land isn't being converted
to biologically sterile farmland.

Just call me "Mr Positive" today.

 

[Secret Chief]

biologically sterile farmland.

Did somebody say bacon?

 

[ChristineM]

Those guys have done more to destroy the natural
world than any others in history. The expanding
world population is denuding the seas of life, &
paving over whatever land isn't being converted
to biologically sterile farmland.

Just call me "Mr Positive" today.

Of course there wouldn't be over 7 billion humans living on this world now without them. However, there are over 7 billion people here now because if them

Whether this is a good thing is debatable. Chances are quite high that you wouldn't be alive now without their input. Is that good or bad?

 

[Twilight Hue]

If overpopulation helps lead to significant environmental collapse, some people could be on both lists...

Sometimes things can become incredibly poetic in terms of karma or cause and effect.

If you save lives and nobody dies for a long time, what exactly happens when the population one day outpaces the ability to support it?

 

[ChristineM]

Sometimes things can become incredibly poetic in terms of karma or cause and effect.

If you save lives and nobody dies for a long time, what exactly happens when the population one day outpaces the ability to support it?

That is on the close horizon, some estimates are as low as 50 years

 

[Twilight Hue]

That is on the close horizon, some estimates are as low as 50 years

Yep. Overpopulation could be a big thing by then.

It's why I don't think it's healthy for an obsession to cheat death unless there's a venue already in place to support longer lived people.

Otherwise it's an invitation to misery and destruction.

 

[Revoltingest]

Did somebody say bacon?

I'm glad you reminded me!
Pigs are much more efficient converters
(plant to meat) than cows, BTW.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I'm glad you reminded me!
Pigs are much more efficient converters
(plant to meat) than cows, BTW.

Looking forward to cultured grown bacon.

 

[Revoltingest]

Of course there wouldn't be over 7 billion humans living on this world now without them. However, there are over 7 billion people here now because if them

Whether this is a good thing is debatable. Chances are quite high that you wouldn't be alive now without their input. Is that good or bad?

My life is very useful.
You other humans....not so much.

 

[Revoltingest]

Looking forward to cultured grown bacon.

I already eat fake burgers.
Fake bacon would be good too.
"Fakon".

 

[ChristineM]

My life is very useful.
You other humans....not so much.

We all say that

 

[ChristineM]

Yep. Overpopulation could be a big thing by then.

It's why I don't think it's healthy for an obsession to cheat death unless there's a venue already in place to support longer lived people.

Otherwise it's an invitation to misery and destruction.

So you wouldn't go back to pre antibiotics, pre inoculation days and enjoy a lifespan of 25 to 35 years?

 

[Revoltingest]

We all say that

Most are wrong.
Only I invented the world's largest miniature
hammer, & the world's smallest giant hammer.

 

[Twilight Hue]

So you wouldn't go back to pre antibiotics, pre inoculation days and enjoy a lifespan of 25 to 35 years?

If it dosent affect the future in a way that it's destructive, I'd say prolong oneself. However I'd still much rather have a short quality existence as a human if possible rather than a long miserable one, even if it includes sin habits. Like smoking and drinking, eating fatty foods, among other things.

It's also noteworthy to point out that people in the past didn't have the discoveries and progress, so I don't think they had any choice living shorter lives.

We live on decisions made from the past so I think its prudent to have foresight and planning in regards to that.

 

[ChristineM]

Most are wrong.
Only I invented the world's largest miniature
hammer, & the world's smallest giant hammer.

I am never wrong. (Except when I'm wrong)

I invented nothing, but i can almost guarantee that i have had a hand in some aspect of your life. So what is more useful, the design of some utilities mimic system that allows for more precise control of power or water,. Or the invention of a useless hammer.