Early Science and Technology

Early Science and Technology

• The earliest form of science and technology dates back to prehistoric time, around 2.3 million years ago, with human artifacts such as shaped stones used for chopping and scraping found in Eastern Africa.
• In Mesopotamia, around 400 B.C., people observed disease symptoms, chemical substances, and astronomical observations.
• In ancient Egypt, around the same period, people developed treatments for wounds and diseases, and made mathematical calculations for angles, rectangles, and triangles, as well as calculating the volume of a pyramid.

Ancient Greek Contributions

• From 300 to 400 B.C., philosophers such as Euclid and Archimedes made significant contributions to fields like geometry, engineering mechanics, and mathematics, with Archimedes calculating a value for pi still used today.

Bronze Age and Mesopotamia

• During the Bronze Age (3000 B.C.), people discovered pigments for coloring human skin, and developed copper and bronze (an alloy of copper and tin).
• In Mesopotamia, around 3500 B.C., people invented two-wheeled carts for transporting heavy goods.

Urbanization and Middle Ages

• The first large city was established around 3000 B.C., with the first pyramid built in Egypt during the same period.
• The Middle Ages (450 - 1450 A.D.) saw the development of scientific and technological advancements, as well as warfare.

Renaissance Era

• The Renaissance Era in Europe (1450 - 1600 A.D.) was a period of rebirth of knowledge, marked by the development of the printing press by Gutenberg in Germany, and Leonardo da Vinci's emphasis on experimentation and observation in Italy.
• Copernicus rediscovered that the sun is at the center of the solar system, and the invention of the triangle sail and magnetic compass.

Modern Science and Technology

• Around 1600 A.D., Galileo introduced modern scientific methods based on experiment and testable observations, and invented the telescope, microscope, and thermometer.
• Isaac Newton helped define the laws of gravity and planetary motion, co-founded calculus, and explained the laws of light and color.
• Albert Einstein had a profound impact on quantum theory, nuclear power, and the atom bomb, and invented the famous equation e=mc² used in Calculus.

Industrial Revolution and 20th Century

• The Industrial Revolution brought about the beginning of factories producing goods on a massive scale.
• In the late 1800s, the light bulb replaced candles and oil lamps.
• The 20th century saw the development of radio, the first car with an engine, the first man in space, and the beginning of communication, electronic, and computer eras.

Explore the earliest forms of science and technology from prehistoric times to ancient civilizations. Learn about human artifacts, disease observations, and mathematical calculations.