I vibe coded with gpt-5 and the source json (https://www.historicaltechtree.com/api/inventions) to get this list:

Top 10 inventions by number of direct descendants

1: High-vacuum tube — 13

2: Automobile — 12

3: Stored-program computer — 12

4: Voltaic pile — 11

5: High-pressure steam engine — 11

6: Glass blowing — 10

7: Papermaking — 10

8: Bipolar junction transistor — 10

9: Writing (Mesopotamia) — 9

10: MOSFET — 8

Top 10 by total descendants (direct + indirect)

1: Control of fire — 585

2: Charcoal — 444

3: Iron — 422

4: Iron smelting and wrought iron — 419

5: Ceramic — 404

6: Pottery — 402

7: Induction coil — 389

8: Raft — 365

9: Boat — 363

10: Alcohol fermentation — 353

Top 10 by total ancestors (direct + indirect)

1: Robotaxi — 253

2: Moon landing — 242

3: Space telescope — 238

4: Lidar — 236

5: Satellite television — 231

6: Space station — 228

7: Stealth aircraft — 228

8: Reusable spacecraft — 224

9: Satellite navigation system — 224

10: Communications satellite — 224