Space Elevators use similar principles to this much more earthy (watery) example: The only modern water operated funicular at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, Wales

What Internet Can Do

15 year old Jack Thomas Andraka invents new method of diagnosing cancer, thus saving the lives of millions of people around the world. His method is 168 times FASTER, 26000 times CHEAPER, 400 times MORE SENSITIVE, has 90% SUCCESS RATE.

To think that scientists spending millions of dollars to find more about cancer, a 15 year old finds out by doing a science fair project. The government and major corporations don't like competition. But unfortunately for them, the next generation does!

More info: http://idealistrevolution.blogspot.in/2013/02/15-year-old-invents-new-method-of.html

min.6.50:

"Through this I learned one really important lesson:

That through the internet anything is possible. You don't have to be a professor with multiple degrees to have your ideas valued. Regardless of your age, ethnicity, gender, whatever, it's just your ideas.

What is really important to me, what I find really important about internet, is that instead of posting duck-face pictures of yourself or taking pictures of your food & posting them on instagram, you could be changing the world. I did all my research on google & wikipedia.

...

the internet is becoming accessible to 3.5 billion more people. & when they have access to that internet, they could be like me. There are millions more of me out there.

When I started this research I didn't even know I had a pancreas.

So if a 15year old that didn't know he had a pancreas could develop a sensor that detects pancreatic cancer that costs 3c & 5 mins to run, imagine what those 3.5 billion people could do, & imagine what you could do.

The Space Elevator Principle

David Christian: The Big History

Backed by stunning illustrations, David Christian narrates a complete history of the universe, from the Big Bang to the Internet, in a riveting 18 minutes. This is "Big History": an enlightening, wide-angle look at complexity, life and humanity, set against our slim share of the cosmic timeline.

www.Big History Project.com