Here are the 20 most important engineering achievements of the 20^th century as selected by the National Academy of Engineers. The achievements, nominated by 29 professional engineering societies around the world, were selected and ranked by a panel of top U.S. engineers for their impact on quality of life. Even though some achievements, like the telephone and automobile, were invented in the 1800s, they were included because their impact came largely in the last century.

1. Electrification - powers the developed world
2. Automobile - becomes world's major means of transportation
3. Airplane - makes the world accessible on a grand scale.
4. Safe and abundant water - prevents the spread of disease, increasing life expectancy.
5. Electronics - underpins nearly all modern life.
6. Radio and television - changes how the world is informed and entertained.
7. Agricultural mechanization - leads to a larger, safer food supply.
8. Computer - creates a global community.
9. Telephone - changes how the world communicates.
10. Air conditioning and refrigeration - extends the shelf life of food and medicines.
11. Interstate highway - allows goods to be distributed along 44,000 miles (70,800 kilometers) of U.S. highways.
12. Space exploration - expands humanity's horizons and introduces 60,000 new products on Earth.
13. Internet - becomes a global communications and information system.
14. Imaging technology - revolutionizes medical diagnostics.
15. Household appliances - eliminates strenuous, laborious tasks.
16. Health technology - spurs mass production of antibiotics and artificial implants.
17. Petroleum and gas technology - become the fuels that energize the 20^th century.
18. Laser and fiber optics - provide almost simultaneous worldwide communications.
19. Nuclear technology - provides a new source of electric power.
20. High performance material - creates lighter, stronger, more adaptable products.