Is there some evidence about that brain/protein connection way back then? It sounds really interesting.
The single most important event in world history
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I had read this a couple of years ago but can't remember the source. Here's another source that verifies it.Is there some evidence about that brain/protein connection way back then? It sounds really interesting.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2002-07/bidm-sip071502.php
From a technological standpoint there are many crucial inventions, and they tend to stand in a chain relationship with each one leading to the next breakthrough. The early pre-historic inventions are all pretty crucial and it's hard to imagine life without any of them, whether it's tools, or language, the wheel, fire, agriculture, etc.My vote goes to flint tools.
I certainly don't want to discount the importance of those things, but I find it more interesting to look at the historic (post-writing) developments as they're much more subtle, and broad in their impact. Things like the printing press, or the French Revolution, had impacts that transformed society, but not quite in the direct and obvious way that "now we have fire" does.
What would be the invention that led to the development of flint tools?From a technological standpoint there are many crucial inventions, and they tend to stand in a chain relationship with each one leading to the next breakthrough. The early pre-historic inventions are all pretty crucial and it's hard to imagine life without any of them, whether it's tools, or language, the wheel, fire, agriculture, etc.
I certainly don't want to discount the importance of those things, but I find it more interesting to look at the historic (post-writing) developments as they're much more subtle, and broad in their impact. Things like the printing press, or the French Revolution, had impacts that transformed society, but not quite in the direct and obvious way that "now we have fire" does.
But OK.. let's keep it more modern. With that then, I would have to say it is the internet. If the essence of change is the coming together of things, then the means to communicate is the key activator. That is why every time in history you get a major jump in the ability to communicate, you get massive surges in innovation. Major jumps in the ability to communicate have come through the invention of language, writing, printing press, telephone, television/radio. None of these have had the same impact on the world in the same time frame as the internet.
The idea that a tool can be a useful thing came before anyone had the idea of flint anything. Flinted/flaked tools have a limited use that in time got surpassed by using other materials. Tools that are flinted/flaked make terrible hammers or heavy axes. There were earlier tools made out of bone or ignious rocks that did very well in certain tasks. Flinted/flaked tools required technical skills that came later and the two types worked well in the tools chest of the time.What would be the invention that led to the development of flint tools?
But OK.. let's keep it more modern. With that then, I would have to say it is the internet. If the essence of change is the coming together of things, then the means to communicate is the key activator. That is why every time in history you get a major jump in the ability to communicate, you get massive surges in innovation. Major jumps in the ability to communicate have come through the invention of language, writing, printing press, telephone, television/radio. None of these have had the same impact on the world in the same time frame as the internet.
The development of hand tools was excruciatingly slow, but did involve major innovation over time. I bet the average person today could not figure out how to fashion a proper stone knife even if you stick them in the woods for a year and made their survival depend on it. There's an actual technique to creating an effective cutting edge that most wouldn't figure out without watching someone else do it first.
I would think the first manufacted flint tools , ie flint knapping were not the first flint tools, the first flint tools were probably just flint rocks that were broken, and some early human figured out it was sharp, and used it to cut things and only later they began the process of attaching them to a stick , and even later still until they learned if they were careful, they could actually shape the flint into more efficient tools.
I would say the most important event in world history ( and by world im referring to human history ) is not an invention of any kind, or tool use, I think the most important trait humans have is the ability to Teach, as far as I know other primates have this ability as well but no where near to the extent we have.
I would say the most important event in world history ( and by world im referring to human history ) is not an invention of any kind, or tool use, I think the most important trait humans have is the ability to Teach, as far as I know other primates have this ability as well but no where near to the extent we have.
You're probably right. Napping is hard time consuming work, but can produce an edge better than any surgical blade. Your point on teaching get us back to the printing press as now people didn't have depend on the church, guilds, or institutes of higher learning to get ahead.I would think the first manufacted flint tools , ie flint knapping were not the first flint tools, the first flint tools were probably just flint rocks that were broken, and some early human figured out it was sharp, and used it to cut things and only later they began the process of attaching them to a stick , and even later still until they learned if they were careful, they could actually shape the flint into more efficient tools.
I would say the most important event in world history ( and by world im referring to human history ) is not an invention of any kind, or tool use, I think the most important trait humans have is the ability to Teach, as far as I know other primates have this ability as well but no where near to the extent we have.
I agree with you, Mervyn. But the ability to teach is not an event, it is a human characteristic. If we were to include characteristics, I'd say the human thumb may be one of the most important traits that humans have as well.I would think the first manufacted flint tools , ie flint knapping were not the first flint tools, the first flint tools were probably just flint rocks that were broken, and some early human figured out it was sharp, and used it to cut things and only later they began the process of attaching them to a stick , and even later still until they learned if they were careful, they could actually shape the flint into more efficient tools.
I would say the most important event in world history ( and by world im referring to human history ) is not an invention of any kind, or tool use, I think the most important trait humans have is the ability to Teach, as far as I know other primates have this ability as well but no where near to the extent we have.
The idea that a tool can be a useful thing came before anyone had the idea of flint anything. Flinted/flaked tools have a limited use that in time got surpassed by using other materials. Tools that are flinted/flaked make terrible hammers or heavy axes. There were earlier tools made out of bone or ignious rocks that did very well in certain tasks. Flinted/flaked tools required technical skills that came later and the two types worked well in the tools chest of the time.
Blackrock.... I can't believe I almost agree with you - sort of. I would agree that the "idea of a tool" preceded the invention of the flint tool. But is the idea of a tool an invention? I'm not sure. It's one thing for man to use his environment to serve his needs (example. use a rock to crack a coconut, but is that really an invention?), but it is another for man to alter his environment to suit his needs (example, break flint stone in such a way as to create a sharp edge that can be used for hunting). I'm not sure what constitutes an invention, but your point is well taken.
According to many anthropologists and biologist and defined thusly; Tool use implies an animal has knowledge of the relationship between their environment, objects in that environment, and their effects. Since tools are not unique to humans and examples exist across the animal kingdom, this definition is effective.Blackrock.... I can't believe I almost agree with you - sort of. I would agree that the "idea of a tool" preceded the invention of the flint tool. But is the idea of a tool an invention? I'm not sure. It's one thing for man to use his environment to serve his needs (example. use a rock to crack a coconut, but is that really an invention?), but it is another for man to alter his environment to suit his needs (example, break flint stone in such a way as to create a sharp edge that can be used for hunting). I'm not sure what constitutes an invention, but your point is well taken.
Flinted/flaked tools might be looked at as an improvement much as steel tools developed over iron and bronze tools.
Its gotta be WWII. The legacy that it left was astronomical - 50 million people killed, the end of imperialism, birth of the Cold War, end of dictatorships in Asia, advancements in military technology, economic prosperity, United Nations..the list goes on an on.
Just considering the shear size of the event you may have a good point.Its gotta be WWII. The legacy that it left was astronomical - 50 million people killed, the end of imperialism, birth of the Cold War, end of dictatorships in Asia, advancements in military technology, economic prosperity, United Nations..the list goes on an on.
Ya... that's a good one, K. But I still think the internet has changed our world more than WWII... and the internet has only been here since the 80s (the web since the mid 90s).Its gotta be WWII. The legacy that it left was astronomical - 50 million people killed, the end of imperialism, birth of the Cold War, end of dictatorships in Asia, advancements in military technology, economic prosperity, United Nations..the list goes on an on.
That would have been my alternate choice. The internet is the most impactful invention of modern history. And unlike other inventions has been both extremely good and extremely bad for society's progression.Ya... that's a good one, K. But I still think the internet has changed our world more than WWII... and the internet has only been here since the 80s (the web since the mid 90s).
Except that 'the world' is hardly connected to the internet. The las t figure I heard was only 20% of the world to date was connected.Ya... that's a good one, K. But I still think the internet has changed our world more than WWII... and the internet has only been here since the 80s (the web since the mid 90s).
You can take certain events of WWII and still make an argument - D Day, Pearl Harbor, Holocaust...Just considering the shear size of the event you may have a good point.
The "Miracle at Midway" in 1942. That victory stopped the advance of Imperial Japan and led to V-J Day in 1945.You can take certain events of WWII and still make an argument - D Day, Pearl Harbor, Holocaust...
Here are some other important events in human history. The invention of beer. Jackie Robinson breaking the "colour barrier" in MLB in 1947.
