Wonders of the modern worldby Ann H

Wonders of the modern world
by Ann Halliday

I don't believe that today's wonders are similar in kind
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to wonders of the Ancient World. They were all buildings and statues. In the last two centuries we have seen unprecedented technical and scientific achievements. These are surely our modern wonders. Here is my list.

1. Computers
They have already revolutionized the way we live and
work. But it is early days for computers. We don't know
how much they are still changing the world. More
computer wonders are yet to come.

2. Space Travel
Only a few years before men were walking on the moon,
reputable scientists declared that it was impossible. But
in 1969 Neil Armstrong stepped out of his space capsule
and made his famous statement: "That's one small step
for a man, one giant leap for mankind".

3. Medical Science
Surely nothing has done more for the comfort and
happiness of mankind than the advance of medical
knowledge! How many millions of people have benefited
from the humble aspirin? How many lives has penicillin
saved? Average life expectancy in Europe has risen
dramatically over the last hundred years, from about 50
years in 1906 to about 75 years today.
4. Holidays
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Yes-holidays! In fact there have always been holidays- in ancient Rome there were more than 150 a year-but a holiday used to mean simply a day when you don't work.


Now holidaymakers travel to all parts of the world. Perhaps you don't like so many tourists in your country, but you must agree that a phenomenon which sees the population of Greece treble in summer, and which sends office workers and shop assistants to Spain, Turkey, or the Caribbean is a wonder of the world.

5. The Olympic Games
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It is true that the Olympic Games are now
commercialized and there is greed and drug abuse. However, it is a competition in which every country in the world takes part. Every four years, for a brief moment, we see these countries come together in peace and friendship. We feel hope again for the future mankind.

6. Agriculture
In 1724, Jonathan Swift wrote, "Whoever makes two
blades of grass or two ears of corn grow where only
one grew before serves mankind better than the whole
race of politicians". In Europe our farmers have done
this. In 1709, whole villages in France died of hanger.
Now, in Europe we can't eat all the food we produce. If
only the politicians could find a way to share it with
those parts of the world where there is still famine.


7. We are still here
The last wonder of the modern world is simply that we
are still here. We have bombs that could destroy the
world but we have not used them. This is surely the
greatest wonder of all.