What started it all?
Discussion
What started it all? We have been around for 200000+ yet it is only in the last couple hundred have we really advanced with technology. Was was it to change the pace on such a large scale? Guns, electricity, steam power? Something completely different?
What's the driving force behind it all? War?
What's your thoughts?
What's the driving force behind it all? War?
What's your thoughts?
The industrial revolution started the huge step forwards, invention of the steam engine with the ability to pump water from mines, supply water to towns and factories, work the land better than horses, drive ships and trains. Of course the major inventions like electricity giving the numerous possibilities it brought with it, was key. There were big steps forward with communications which spread the word and this all led to inventions such as Diesel engines, aviation and advanced mechanised transport - all getting cheaper as time went on. Two world wars drove things forward at an accelerated rate as wars tend to do of course.
Ledaig said:
gtsl said:
What's the driving force behind it all? War?
I'll go for dominance and greed (leading to wars).https://youtu.be/PF_iorX_MAw
Stonehenge, UK, which is basically the world's first clock, in 3100-2500BC, and the Pyramids, Egypt, started from 2700-2600BC, basically the world's first complex structures, are the first major triggers for modern human development.
But if you're talking about the modern-modern world, then Florence, Italy, lit the fuse with the Renaissance and Education Revolution started circa 1200-1350. Then, Telford, UK, exploded with the Industrial, Agricultural and Transport Revolution by harvesting coal circa 1700-1900.
This was followed by the Finance Revolution in New York, US, for near-endless debt circa 1920. Followed by the Health Revolution with penicillin in London, UK, for healthy productive lives circa 1928. Followed by the Nuclear Revolution in New Mexico, US, circa 1945. Followed by the Tech Revolution in California, US, circa 1970 (based on earlier work in Germany and UK from the 1930s).
Of course, you could also add in countless other contributors, like China for rudimentary tools circa 10,000BC, Hippocrates in Greece for medicine circa 400BC, China for gunpowder in 900AD, Iran for the first printed book (clay tablet) circa 3000BC, and so on.
In a nutshell, modern civilisation was arguably started by less than 20 countries on the planet and the UK has been and is one of the major contributors (if not the major contributor).
PS. Just very rough dates above, so won't get into endless threads about whether something began in 1350 or 1351 or whatever
But if you're talking about the modern-modern world, then Florence, Italy, lit the fuse with the Renaissance and Education Revolution started circa 1200-1350. Then, Telford, UK, exploded with the Industrial, Agricultural and Transport Revolution by harvesting coal circa 1700-1900.
This was followed by the Finance Revolution in New York, US, for near-endless debt circa 1920. Followed by the Health Revolution with penicillin in London, UK, for healthy productive lives circa 1928. Followed by the Nuclear Revolution in New Mexico, US, circa 1945. Followed by the Tech Revolution in California, US, circa 1970 (based on earlier work in Germany and UK from the 1930s).
Of course, you could also add in countless other contributors, like China for rudimentary tools circa 10,000BC, Hippocrates in Greece for medicine circa 400BC, China for gunpowder in 900AD, Iran for the first printed book (clay tablet) circa 3000BC, and so on.
In a nutshell, modern civilisation was arguably started by less than 20 countries on the planet and the UK has been and is one of the major contributors (if not the major contributor).
PS. Just very rough dates above, so won't get into endless threads about whether something began in 1350 or 1351 or whatever
Hoofy said:
I didn't say it was bad - just what started it 
Ledaig said:
gtsl said:
What's the driving force behind it all? War?
I'll go for dominance and greed (leading to wars).Men with the most assets (land, armies, cash, etc.) get the most mates because they stand the best chance of protecting, raising and nurturing successfully and healthily the females' offspring. Men (and some women) are biologically driven to invent (or steal stuff) to gain assets and gifts (money, land, etc.).
I'd suggest that there have been many "great leap forwards" in human awareness.
The invention of language possibly almost 1,0000,000 years ago.
The harnessing of fire - around 500,000 years ago perhaps.
The invention of tools - starting with stone and then moving to metals.
The invention of agriculture.
The invention of large towns and cities.
The invention of writing.
The invention of geometry and numbers
And so on.
The invention of language possibly almost 1,0000,000 years ago.
The harnessing of fire - around 500,000 years ago perhaps.
The invention of tools - starting with stone and then moving to metals.
The invention of agriculture.
The invention of large towns and cities.
The invention of writing.
The invention of geometry and numbers
And so on.
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