[pgsandstrom]

I think it is interesting that a majority of the changes happened between the 50s and the 70s. I guess it might be attributed to post-war optimism and the golden age of capitalism that lasted just about the same era.

[pjc50]

The "up" arc: penicillin, the space programme

The "down" arc: thalidomide, Chernobyl, Challenger, oil crisis, "Silent Spring", global warming, and the rise of environmentalism.

(someone have that graph about all the good things stagnating in 1971?)

[guiriduro]

What's "down" about environmentalism? Even thalidomide has its virtues, e.g. in Lupus treatment. You just should never give it to pregnant mothers.