Would you have the knowledge
Discussion
I'd build a hang glider, blow a few minds, and then float away to find somewhere as far away from other people as possible.
I always remember this - http://www.thetoasterproject.org/page2.htm and what an incredible grind it seemed.
No matter how clever anyone is, we're all standing on the shoulders of those who came before.
Take them away and you've got some lovely info and not much else for most things.
I always remember this - http://www.thetoasterproject.org/page2.htm and what an incredible grind it seemed.
No matter how clever anyone is, we're all standing on the shoulders of those who came before.
Take them away and you've got some lovely info and not much else for most things.
ric19 said:
Was just thinking the other day (like you do) if by some miracle you got transported through time, to say the Middle ages a bit like A Conneticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court, and you survived not being burnt as a Witch (or Wizard) would you have enough basic knowledge of Science to be able to kick start the Industrial revolution off earlier ? for example would you know how to create an Atmospheric Steam engine from scratch
Yes, and more besides. (Professional scientist/researcher).Would the other people around me? Skilled craftspeople for instruments, tools, etc. would be the hardest thing.
One of the easiest things you could do would be to ‘invent’ telescopes and microscopes, if you are in 1300s-1400s.
Another important thing would be some fairly simple mathematics. The idea that nature/the universe is measurable and knowable was (is) very powerful.
Even ideas like standardised parts and mass manufacturing would be applicable to some technologies of the day, like equipping an army…
There would also be the valuable task of getting people to start reading and understanding works of science and art from teh ancient world, maybe 100 years earlier.
But in terms of catalysing the Industrial Revolution
- develop chemistry, the main idea here being an atomic/molecular theory, which establishes stoichiometry, and the idea of conservation of mass. This allows a proper theory of combustion and bypasses alchemy altogether. That would give you decent metallurgy. Also, so many elements to discover. In 1400, only 13 were know. Gold, silver, tin, lead, iron, copper, mercury, platinum (only in South America at this time), sulfur, antimony, arsenic, bismuth. The discovery of phosphorus brought its discover fame and not much fortune in the 1600s, so that would be one to go for, and easy too (the first isolation of phosphorus was from horse urine). Because it glows in the dark and burns in air, the material would be fascinating to the temporal locals. it would be an entry point to powerful people in society to enable you to pursue other technologies.
- in physics, the key tools to deliver at (as above) the concept of measurement of nature and the mathematics to work with the data.
- biology, simple stuff like genetics and germ theory of disease would be very powerful.
Edited by GiantCardboardPlato on Saturday 25th February 14:00
InitialDave said:
There's also the 1632 book series, about a small American 20th century community magically ending up in 17th century Europe.
Surprisingly obscure but I found this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1632_(novel)President Merkin said:
I was just thinking this. I read a couple of Ian Mortimer's Time traveller's guides which left an imprint on me that if you suddenly found yourself in the middle ages, you'd be in a world with practically no formal education, low life expectancy, no real police force & only a rudimentary understanding of public health. The net effect being you have a population of youths who drink beer all day long running around armed to the teeth.
I'm not sure that's right, there still had to be a community that worked and unwritten laws (lores?) to follow.It's almost worth going just to get away from political correctness and people w
king on about climate change...Simpo Two said:
InitialDave said:
There's also the 1632 book series, about a small American 20th century community magically ending up in 17th century Europe.
Surprisingly obscure but I found this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1632_(novel)Although it would be difficult to invent a more modern technology you could "invent" the magic of something from our age that they were not used to.
For instance.... instead of them all cooking at different locations individually, you cook at a centralised location and then arange for a young serf to deliver it to them for a small amount of groats. A medieval Ubereats if you may. No technology needed but a 21st Century idea taken back in time to make their life easier (whilst getting them on the road to being overweight and lazy with the inherrent medical problems).
They'd love it and call you the messiah.
For instance.... instead of them all cooking at different locations individually, you cook at a centralised location and then arange for a young serf to deliver it to them for a small amount of groats. A medieval Ubereats if you may. No technology needed but a 21st Century idea taken back in time to make their life easier (whilst getting them on the road to being overweight and lazy with the inherrent medical problems).
They'd love it and call you the messiah.
Back then, religion did what the police do now. An all seeing god, with the ultimate punishment of Hell, was enough to temper most people's tendency to lawlessness. And reduce masturbation rates probably.
I think my best bet would be to set myself up as a bone setter; non-surgical fracture treatment hasn't really changed much. Otherwise I'd just be executed as a witch.
I think a bit of basic public health policy might go a long way though...
I think my best bet would be to set myself up as a bone setter; non-surgical fracture treatment hasn't really changed much. Otherwise I'd just be executed as a witch.
I think a bit of basic public health policy might go a long way though...
ColinGreaves said:
For instance.... instead of them all cooking at different locations individually, you cook at a centralised location and then arange for a young serf to deliver it to them for a small amount of groats. A medieval Ubereats if you may...
They'd love it and call you the messiah.
No spare groats, that's why they grew and cooked their own food.They'd love it and call you the messiah.
A way to grow more food, eg fertiliser or better farming methods, would probably get you to Messiah level better.
Simpo Two said:
ColinGreaves said:
For instance.... instead of them all cooking at different locations individually, you cook at a centralised location and then arange for a young serf to deliver it to them for a small amount of groats. A medieval Ubereats if you may...
They'd love it and call you the messiah.
No spare groats, that's why they grew and cooked their own food.They'd love it and call you the messiah.
A way to grow more food, eg fertiliser or better farming methods, would probably get you to Messiah level better.
I'd more than likely be turned into a slave/ working in a mine/ whatever. If the time machine gave me enough wealth for a years worth of food and shelter I reckon I could demonstrate steam power, but I know nothing about prop design so wouldn't be gifting naval dominance any time soon.
I often wonder at why the Romans never saw the benefits of steam. I guess when you can just enslave a city you don't need automation.
I often wonder at why the Romans never saw the benefits of steam. I guess when you can just enslave a city you don't need automation.
glazbagun said:
I'd more than likely be turned into a slave/ working in a mine/ whatever. If the time machine gave me enough wealth for a years worth of food and shelter I reckon I could demonstrate steam power, but I know nothing about prop design so wouldn't be gifting naval dominance any time soon.
I often wonder at why the Romans never saw the benefits of steam. I guess when you can just enslave a city you don't need automation.
I think the big jump was connecting a cylinder to a wheel, ie converting linear to rotary motion. Until you've invented that I doubt steam is much use. And somehow you'd have to machine metal to fine tolerances.I often wonder at why the Romans never saw the benefits of steam. I guess when you can just enslave a city you don't need automation.
InitialDave said:
timbo999 said:
Timeline by Michael Crichton is about this sort of scenario - modern man injected into society 600 years ago.
There's also the 1632 book series, about a small American 20th century community magically ending up in 17th century Europe.Leo Frankowski - Crosstime Engineer series
SM Stirling - Islands in the Sea of Time
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