The Ball — Humankind’s Greatest Invention.

The wheel is frequently considered to be humankind’s greatest invention. With the invention of the wheel came movement. I argue, however, that the humble ball is actually humankind’s greatest invention.

The ball is one of the world’s most emotionally satisfying objects and the most sustainable. Only balls with holes in them, unable to be inflated ever again, end up in landfills.

Ever wonder why all people, old and young, in city or country, love the ball so much?

Because the ball is our childhood friend. As children we learn to discover the world using our instincts and impulses.

The ball is round and round is a signal that something is touchable, safe, not dangerous.

The ball is non-threatening.

The ball is safe to hold and its behavior is predictable. If you throw it, bounce it or kick it, a perfectly round ball will move in its intended direction — up, down, in a direct line.

The curved roundness of a ball signaled comfort to us when we were children, a knowingness based on maternal familiarity and a preference that is also seen in our childhood love for round characters such as Barney or the Teletubbies. Compare this to the toys and games older children prefer which tend to take on the realistic features and…