Not strictly speaking a discovery but still: Communism

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think alcohol is a big net negative for the society at large.

I know you can drink responsibly, I myself am an occasional drinker, but alcohol abuse along with its secondary effects (such as domestic violence) is a huge burden on society.

Nuclear energy certainly came to mind. I think nuclear power, is too valuable though. Then again, if there's ever a nuclear war, you'll be right.

I was thinking gain-of-function biological research. Throughout the pandemic I listened to several episodes of the Darkhorse Podcast that got into why the downside almost certainly outweighs the upside.

I'm really curious to see what answers other people give.

I can think of a few materials that started with good intentions but ended up being quite bad for us:

Makes me think that maybe one of the worst discoveries will turn out to be plastic. We only start to scratch the surface of the damaging effect microplastics are having on us and our children. It's a tricky one, as plastic is obviously also one of our best, or at least, most useful, inventions.

The invention of Fiat money.

Dynamite: invented for mining used in war.

Maybe go further back and say gunpowder? It's probably hard to beat the invention of gunpowder in terms of harmfulness.

This is really hard to answer because all discoveries give humans new powers and powers always have a dark side.

Ignoring the net benefit, I'd say oil. Mostly because it's the most powerful discovery we've made as evidenced by how much it changed our lives. It's probably given the most benefit and the most harm simply in terms of being a catalyst for nearly everything (good and bad) that followed.

I can't think of any discovery that doesn't have this duality and it's hard to measure net benefit. I wouldn't rid us of nuclear physics because we learned how to make bombs with it.

Credit card 💳

Refined sugar. Highly addictive and the cause of the world wide diabetes issue.

Religion!!!

lol no one said social media. make friendster great again.

Tetraethyllead: lead in petroleum gas Chlorofluorocarbons: ozone layer eroding chemicals

Both invented by one man, Thomas Midgley, Jr.

This maniac made us all lead poisoned for decades and at much greater risk of skin cancer for at least a few more decades. Lots of unnecessary death.

The Invention of 'State'.

Facebook? I dont think social media really helps society as a whole.

Hard drugs like meth, cocaine, heroin. These things ruin so many lives and I wish they were never discovered/created. Hoping for those addicted to recover.

Shitcoins :)

If I put weed, I know i'll get crap. They say it's none addictive. But I don't believe this, I've met several individuals that can't function without a puff. It's fun to get high, but daily consumption can't be healthy. Not entirely the worst thing-- but i've met too many schizophrenia people who maybe smoked too much. it's supposed to be rare, It not.

I agree perfectly... it is the worst thing that could have happened with a scientific discovery... creating nuclear weapons and with that capacity and range is something that should never have happened... and that those people who have that decision or that capacity to use them and so on decide the fate of the world are so few and in addition to that their thinking is drastic and authoritarian... the truth is that it scares anyone and makes them cringe at the thought of knowing what will happen to humanity if the execution of some of those powerful weapons...

CRISPR and everything else pales in comparison...

Maybe it hasn't happened yet, but what about a weather machine?

Control the weather, control the world! This can be more harmful than any nuclear weapon.

Roundabouts

Tell me you hate goods reaching your town without telling me

The splitting of the atom came to my mind too yes. And for the near future, Artificial Intelligence. Not the one we have now, but the one that will be soon, AGI. It will be biggest threat to humanity surpassing atomic bombs.

Discovery of dynamite. Coincidentally, peace prizes are being handed out in the name of the inventor of dynamite. (Alfred Nobel). I should have actually shared this on "Fun fact friday".