The technology I find most influential is the water filter. It has shaped society's ideas surrounding both public and personal health, serving a role as significant as when it was first developed. Water has long been known to be essential. Its clarity and other properties affect its ability to provide quality of life & longevity. The prevalence of clean water has dramatically increased life expectancy while decreasing the prevalence of contaminating factors. Filters help eradicate sickness and slow the spread of disease by encouraging health & cleanliness. Early accounts of the water filter are credited to Hippocrates, who created a bag known as the ‘Hippocratic sleeve’ that filtered out impurities from Greek aqueducts. This invention helped create cleaner, better-tasting water that was void of a bad smell. Later improved by the Englishmen John & Henry Doulton, the ceramic filter removed bacteria, proving extremely useful where drinking water was contaminated with sewage that led to common epidemics of cholera and typhoid at the time. The device was improved when Henry Doulton teamed with Louis Pasteur, to create the Carbon Filter that removed bacteria with 99% efficiency. Filters began to be used by the military, the royal household, and hospitals, as they were gradually introduced into homes. Countertop ceramic bowl filtration systems became common in homes. Early filters were made of porous bowls that were stacked to filter. This method was effective but required thorough cleaning. The reduction in cartridges improved the device, as previous systems had many components that were difficult to keep sanitary. While imperfect the first filters helped decrease the prevalence of pathogens spread through unsanitary water. A revolutionary development occurred with the creation of disposable cartridges. Today’s filters have improved to retain essential minerals needed by the body. Filters have played pivotal roles like during emergency response. An example is the LifeStraw, a filtration device that supplies safe drinking water to millions. Relevant to science, filter's efficient and compact nature allows them to be useful in space exploration. While obtaining clean water while in space would prove costly, filters address the issue by allowing astronauts to reuse the water they consume. Popularity has increased the prevalence of filtration systems, making clean water more accessible than ever. The development of higher-pressure cartridges and advancing of internal systems allow filtration systems to connect directly to a tap within the home. Inline water filters have become practical water filtration solutions.