A Lady I know- who turned 100 last year was asked what she thought was the greatest improvement in her lifetime. Modern medicine was the answer.
Not disagreeing with previous posters- I am just of the opinion that modern medicine has advanced since 1945 more than any other field.
extended life and quality of life beyond anyones expectations over last 150 yrs.
My paternal granddad was born in 1906 (he passed in '92).
He once told me that he figured he'd lived in the perfect time, because he'd witnessed the U.S. go from a mostly rural, agrarian culture, to walking on the moon.
He once related how, when he was a small boy in rural Mississippi, the kids would chase after any car that came through town, because they were so rare.
That's called survivor bias. Being 100, she qualifies. Long may she live!
I am just of the opinion that modern medicine has advanced since 1945 more than any other field.
Actually, since 1945, progress in electronics and information science has far exceeded progress in other fields, including medicine.
Think about it: Living to 100 is still an achievement. Air travel is still subsonic. Flying cars are still mostly science fiction. Electricity isn't yet too cheap to meter. Stuff like Ebola is still scary.
Then there's the Apple Watch ...
Antibiotics, mass vaccination and other things that lowered the average death rate for children from 50% to 15% certainly made a big difference.