Creating the Twentieth Century: Technical Innovations of 1867-1914 and Their Lasting Impact (Technical Revolutions and Their Lasting Impact)

the steam turbine, the most powerful commonly used prime mover of the 20th (and certainly at least of the first half of the 21st) century

less than 15% of space required for garaging as opposed to stabling, and

humans could sustain work at rates of just between 50 and 90 W, while draft mammals could deliver no more than 300 W for small cattle, 400–600 W for smaller horses, and up to 800 W for heavy animals.

numerous examples documenting slow improvements in the efficiency and power of waterwheels, in greater maneuverability of sails, or in higher productivity and lower use of fuel in metal smelting

the world’s first pumped storage stations were also built.

this extraordinarily creative ferment was not conducive to standardization and optimization.

In contrast, most of the technical advances that appeared during the two pre-WWI generations had their basis in increasingly sophisticated scientific understanding,

Preventing cavitation, vibration, erosion, and noise and operating with optimized Reynolds numbers brings many great rewards.

and for the first time in history, their success was shaped by close links and rapid feedbacks between research and commercialization.