Human civilization cycles technologies on timescale of centuries or even decades. No long lasting benefits are needed, just a little while to tide us over to th

Human civilization cycles technologies on timescale of centuries or even decades. No long lasting benefits are needed, just a little while to tide us over to the next better thing. Like burning coal was a giant environmental breakthrough that saved planet's forests from being chopped for firewood and now we have decent nuclear and renewable energy sources that are even cleaner.