Dynamite 🧨 was necessary for building the Panama Canal and Hoover Dam 

Bell_curve

That's a good point to go further back but I'd argue that the difference if that the harm from gunpowder is more direct and more tangible

Thing is, if positives aren't included at all, the discovery of fire and invention of language are probably it: the most global harm ever came from them.

petertodd

That's true but I thought we were talking about how harmful inventions were, not what their net weighted impact after comparing positives and negatives were

tomlaies

Oh, if you put that way, dynamite is probably the most dangerous discovery. 

Taft

science

What has been the worst or most harmful scientific discovery of all time?

Without dynamite or similar explosives the mines that provided the minerals necessary for you to digitally write that comment probably would never have existed.