What invention would you most want in your lifetime?

[Eja117]

Clean renewable energy.  All the disease and fun personal stuff is great, but ultimately everyone dies anyway; and a true end to death would very, very quickly wind up in "be careful what you wish for" territory. 

Clean energy transcends individual lifespans and reduces or eliminates so many of the societal issues we're currently running into.  And it would greatly improve quality of life and enable most of the other inventions being discussed too.  It's the biggest challenge of this century in my opinion.

This was what I was thinking based on the restrictions for what we can suggest.   Provided it's available to everyone everywhere, it would definitely shift the world dynamic in terms of wealth. 

I think a close second is a cheaper, effective way to purify large quantities of water.  water will become the new oil in probably 30 years.

sooner. that is why a number of top universities are already focusing on water as a key part of their research. not just physical water, but supply, security, safety, etc.

the general notion now is that the next generation of kids will fight wars over water, not oil.

I'll believe it when I see it

[ForexPirate]

i'll take a woman that comes with a remote control.  That would be the best invention ever.

[Kiorrik]

I'd like to get rid of my Asthma, but yeh.

A toss up between "nba ref robots" and the invisibility cloak for me. Close third would be the jet-pack.

[Eja117]

i'll take a woman that comes with a remote control.  That would be the best invention ever.

They already got that

[Kiorrik]

By the way, question: If I pick the invisibility cloak, does that mean I'll get one, or will "the human race" get one?

[Eja117]

By the way, question: If I pick the invisibility cloak, does that mean I'll get one, or will "the human race" get one?

human race. You're not Harry Potter

[Redz]

By the way, question: If I pick the invisibility cloak, does that mean I'll get one, or will "the human race" get one?

human race. You're not Harry Potter

So wait, if we're all invincible wouldn't that sort of take the fun out of it?  Or is there one cloak that is invincible-er than all of the others? 

[greenhead85]

Invisibility cloak.

More importantly though is a head gear (or mind serum) for all State leaders that would control their minds into doing all common good and rights all bad ideas or intentions.

[Redz]

a pill that lets you eat anything and never gain weight or get diabetes

I'd have to demand some more protection against other potential side effects (heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, heart burn, gout etc...)

Basically I want some assurance that I can eat like Mr. Creosote without the end result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXH_12QWWg8

[Kiorrik]

By the way, question: If I pick the invisibility cloak, does that mean I'll get one, or will "the human race" get one?

human race. You're not Harry Potter

Yeah, figured as much.

Bumping up the Jet-pack then. That'd be my choice.

[slamtheking]

a pill that lets you eat anything and never gain weight or get diabetes

I'd have to demand some more protection against other potential side effects (heart disease, irritable bowel syndrome, heart burn, gout etc...)

Basically I want some assurance that I can eat like Mr. Creosote without the end result.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXH_12QWWg8

want a dinner mint 

[Rtpas11]

I'll choose other... give me a surrogate! LOL

[hardlyyardley]

a cure for cancer

[thirstyboots18]

i'll take a woman that comes with a remote control.  That would be the best invention ever.

  I am a woman.  I have a remote control.  Be careful or I will use it to turn you off.    Moral of the story...be careful what you ask for.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Something that would kill influenza of any kind once and for all.

That or an a transporter of some sort that could make you travel for hundreds or thousands of miles in minutes if fine for me.