We often think that all of the advancements that are made in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are a product of today’s world. The fact of the matter is, however, many of today’s new products and ideas often rely on simple ideas, machines, and parts that were developed years ago. Triple offset butterfly valves, for instance, have been around since the early 1930s. Used in various industries like heating and cooling, oil and gas, power generation, pulp and paper, shipbuilding, and water and wastewater treatment, this is a piece of equipment that has been essential for nearly a century. And while there will certainly be new developments made by today’s STEM field, it is important to realize that even the latest products will always rely on a perfect combination of old ideas and platforms with latest dreams. In fact, if every inventor, scientist, and engineer had to start from scratch we would not make much progress.
Tomorrow’s Technologies Rely in Part on Yesterday
