Readers reply: What is the biggest missed opportunity in history?

I read that Skype is closing down, a few years after Covid brought video-calling to prominence like never before. So, my question is: what is the biggest missed opportunity in history? Quentin, Arizona

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Readers reply

In the early 1960s, EMI passed on the opportunity to sign Brian Poole and the Tremeloes, thus allowing them to be snapped up by EMI’s deadly rivals at Decca. EddieChorepost

The Blair government not repealing right to buy. The increase in the housing benefit bill and decrease in social housing has had far-ranging political, economic and social effects. BollyDarling

Ignoring the first generation of scientists warning us that burning fossil fuels resulted in an atmospheric greenhouse effect. Then ignoring the second generation of scientists warning us that burning fossil fuels resulted in an atmospheric greenhouse effect. Then ignoring the third generation of scientists … We are struggling to constrain a deadly behemoth of our own making. It didn’t have to be this way. EBGB

Failing to spot the danger that the internet could become a massive disseminator of lies, manipulation and propaganda. hutchmeup

It was spotted. The missed opportunity (if it was one) was doing anything about it – maybe by making the “platforms” legally liable as publishers. leadballoon

Bernie Sanders not getting the Democratic nomination in 2016. Philip_Larkin_Fan

Obviously not the biggest, but John Smith dying before his time when leader of Labour in opposition. hellyfad

One of them is the French not opposing Hitler’s move to remilitarise the Rhineland. Chouan93

If Hitler had been accepted into art school in Vienna, that might have kept him out of politics. salamandertome

Succession lines going through males. There obviously were women who would have made a good job of it, maybe stopped a few wars? Those medieval types of wars where kingdoms fought to oust the usurper who usurped because no boy was born or survived. Women and girls abounded, but … nope. Veltatecla

Biggest missed opportunity: following through on Reconstruction after the American civil war. DrMomPA

Sitting back and watching as Putin invaded Crimea in 2014. AmongstTheWaves

Gascoigne not making contact with that cross from Shearer against Germany at Euro 96. PeteTheBeat