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Concorde and Past Technology

Posted by New Flyer #857 on Thu Aug 13 19:35:35 2026

While it's often cliche to think of "how much we have now" compared to generations before, I've been thinking of counterexamples -- cases where tech, available to the public at least, was superior in the past.

To illustrate what I mean, the main example I can think of right now is Concorde and the ability to buy a ticket to cross the Atlantic in 3 or so hours. To my knowledge, even if it cost you a lot of money, this was something available to previous generations but not to us now.

But are there similar examples? Something related to science and technology that once could be done but can no longer be done?

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(2044471)

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Re: Concorde and Past Technology

Posted by Spider-Pig on Thu Aug 13 23:15:33 2026, in response to Concorde and Past Technology, posted by New Flyer #857 on Thu Aug 13 19:35:35 2026.

Shoe-fitting fluoroscope

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(2044487)

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Re: Concorde and Past Technology

Posted by AlM on Fri Aug 14 15:56:01 2026, in response to Concorde and Past Technology, posted by New Flyer #857 on Thu Aug 13 19:35:35 2026.


An SST can be done. The market just isn't there because the cost is too high.

- Lyme disease vaccine - it worked but the liability risk to profit ratio was too high so it was withdrawn.

- Asbestos was really useful stuff. The non-friable version probably isn't even dangerous.

- DDT was a superb insecticide, but ... Many great pesticides and herbicides turned out to be far too dangerous.

- Teflon, etc. will be phased out because of PFAS.

- Some useful stuff is much harder to buy than it used to be. Dynamite, mercury, strong acids and bases.

On a side note, I've done some really great one-day hikes that can no longer be done other than as a major excursion because the access roads have been wiped out. Another example of the provider (in this case, national parks) of the service (roads - not really high tech but having an engineering component for sure) not seeing enough additional revenue to justify continuing the service.







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(2044488)

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Re: Concorde and Past Technology

Posted by cortelyounext on Fri Aug 14 17:01:00 2026, in response to Concorde and Past Technology, posted by New Flyer #857 on Thu Aug 13 19:35:35 2026.

United, American, and JAL have firm orders placed for the Boom Supersonic "Overture" which is not flying commercially now but some industry experts such as LuchAAA estimate certification by 2030.



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(2044493)

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Re: Concorde and Past Technology

Posted by Peter Rosa on Fri Aug 14 17:14:22 2026, in response to Re: Concorde and Past Technology, posted by AlM on Fri Aug 14 15:56:01 2026.

Lyme disease vaccine - it worked but the liability risk to profit ratio was too high so it was withdrawn

I thought the federal government can protect drug makers from liability risks for certain vaccines.

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(2044496)

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Re: Concorde and Past Technology

Posted by AlM on Fri Aug 14 17:26:27 2026, in response to Re: Concorde and Past Technology, posted by Peter Rosa on Fri Aug 14 17:14:22 2026.

Maybe that's true now.

I'm talking about a vaccine approved by the FDA in 1998 and withdrawn from the market in 2002.



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(2044503)

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Re: Concorde and Past Technology

Posted by Fisk Ave Jim on Fri Aug 14 18:22:19 2026, in response to Re: Concorde and Past Technology, posted by AlM on Fri Aug 14 15:56:01 2026.

Two things, the National Parks budget has been stripped to a bare minimum. My son works for the park service out in Yosemite and he could list what needs to be done but there isn't the $$$ there to get something as simple as maintaining service roads.

Second: You mentioned asbestos. In "The Wizard Of Oz" there is a scene where they awaken from a poppy field nap and it starts snowing. That "snow" was actually ground up asbestos falling all over them.
Too bad OSHA was still decades away.

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(2044507)

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Re: Concorde and Past Technology

Posted by Orange Blossom Special on Fri Aug 14 19:06:34 2026, in response to Concorde and Past Technology, posted by New Flyer #857 on Thu Aug 13 19:35:35 2026.

There used to be a lot of examples. But thank goodness we have Mr. Musk. Technology is exciting again after being turned into corporate rot.

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