Weapons, mobiles worst inventions ever

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Weapons, mobiles worst inventions ever

Mobile phones second only to guns and bombs in BBC survey of most loathed inventions.

Mobile phones are only slightly less irritating than bombs, according to a BBC online poll.

Weapons were listed as the worst invention ever by 35 per cent of the 4,164 respondents to the survey, which features in this month's issue of BBC's Focus magazine. Mobile phones were loathed by 17 per cent.

Nuclear power, the battery-powered vehicle the Sinclair C5 and television were tied at nine per cent, followed by cars, cigarettes, fast food, speed cameras and - rounding out the top ten with two per cent of the vote - religion.

BBC Focus editor Paul Parsons said: "When contemporary inventions such as the car and the mobile phone, which apparently enhance modern living, get voted as the worst inventions ever, it makes you realise that technologies and 'objects of desire' that seem to play an integral and important part in our lives may not in fact be pleasing the masses."

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