One invention ...

[MadMachine]

You're heading out on a round trip in a time machine and you're allowed to bring one item and leave it behind with the neanderthals. You're allowed to teach them to use it, whatever. What is the one item that you think would have the most impact on their lives and therefore, the future of humankind?

The invention thread make me think of this, so blame that.

[DPH]

You're heading out on a round trip in a time machine and you're allowed to bring one item and leave it behind with the neanderthals. You're allowed to teach them to use it, whatever. What is the one item that you think would have the most impact on their lives and therefore, the future of humankind?

The invention thread make me think of this, so blame that.
The problem with that question is that few inventions stand alone.

Example: gun (needs bullets), condoms (needs latex), bicycle (needs all kinds of parts), etc...

[Veilside]

guns so humanity could wipe itself out that much earlier.

[MadMachine]

The problem with that question is that few inventions stand alone.

Example: gun (needs bullets), condoms (needs latex), bicycle (needs all kinds of parts), etc...

That's my point. What is ONE invention that you think could change the world and why.

Saying computer --> would need electricity.

[Dondrei]

I wouldn't leave anything in case I screwed up the spacetime continuum and destroyed the universe.

[HAMC8112]

I'd give them those plastic things on the end of shoelaces, you know, so they dont get frayed ends on their shoelaces. That would change history a bit i'd say.

[Dondrei]

I'd give them those plastic things on the end of shoelaces, you know, so they dont get frayed ends on their shoelaces. That would change history a bit i'd say.

It's true, I lost mine a while back and it's slowly driving me toward a mental breakdown.

[caddad]

Floss.

-D2netDad

[Pitboss_2000]

I'd bring them guitars.

[TriggerHappy]

A globe. That would have save a couple hundred years of exploring.

[bladesyz]

You're heading out on a round trip in a time machine and you're allowed to bring one item and leave it behind with the neanderthals. You're allowed to teach them to use it, whatever. What is the one item that you think would have the most impact on their lives and therefore, the future of humankind?

The invention thread make me think of this, so blame that.

Neanderthals are a different sub-species of human kind.

If you wanted to help them survive and keep them from being wiped out by homo sapiens, one important invention would be agriculture. Teach them agriculture, and they no longer have to compete with the homo sapiens for hunting grounds.

[Dawnmaster]

How about a book (teach them to read it and teach them to teach others)

You can go any way with that, you can learn them things about life that way and you can learn them how to build something that is in the book?

That way they have a basis of how to invent fire, how to catch animals easier,... and eventually, how the universe and physics etc works?

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

Nothing. The neaderthals were an inferior species. They vanished for a reason.

Now if you're talking about helping out early homo sapiens, then I'd take them blacksmithing. Metal tools, be it knives or plows, would have made agriculture so much easier.

Due to the time it would take to make them blacksmiths you'd have to find a way to feed yourself. I think I want some bread. Looks like I need to build myself a waterwheel and a mill. Oops, I can't take that back with me. I guess I"ll have to leave it for them. :wink:

[Drosselmeier]

What's this about agriculture? What does anyone have to gain by overpopulating the earth twice as fast?

I'd give them an abacus or, if allowed to teach them how to read, a stone tablet with some philosophy 101 on it. The abacus they could probably figure out on their own in a few years but cracking an unknown language might be harder.

[SaroDarksbane]

A book on political/social philosophy, and then I would teach them to read and understand it.

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

What's this about agriculture? What does anyone have to gain by overpopulating the earth twice as fast?
When there is enough food, more people are free to explore other things. Such as science, astronomy, philosophy, architecture, etc. We'd have already populated the solar system by now. There would be tens of billions of people all over the place. It'd be impossible to wipe us out short of a dedicated military attack.

[Drosselmeier]

When there is enough food, more people are free to explore other things. Such as science, astronomy, philosophy, architecture, etc. We'd have already populated the solar system by now. There would be tens of billions of people all over the place. It'd be impossible to wipe us out short of a dedicated military attack.

More food means people breed like rats.

Agriculture did not mean more leisure time when it was invented. Industrial farming did, but that's hardly one invention. Stone age hunter/gatherers spent less time procuring food than the farmers did. Farming led to a technological boost due to necessity of finding better tools and people settling down and forming permanent communities.

[Jigga-Scrooge]

I'd give them those plastic things on the end of shoelaces, you know, so they dont get frayed ends on their shoelaces. That would change history a bit i'd say.


did you know those are called aglets? i know that because it was a random fact in the marketplace section of the newspaper.

[superdave]

toilet paper.

[buttershug]

toilet paper.


Not toilet brushes?

[Moosashi]

Whether it's because primitive people had more time or because they were established in permanent communities, it's hard to argue that agriculture did not lead to greater cultural complexity and technological progress. If these are your benchmarks for success, agriculture is a good choice. If nothing else it gives the population a more stable food supply. It might also be that hunting/gathering was not sustainable. The very recent extinctions of American, European and Australian megafauna is evidence of this.

But don't worry that the population will explode too soon. I'm bringing The Pill.

[superdave]

Not toilet brushes?
good lord NO! :yikes:

[skihard]

Everyone is forgetting the must have item of all time. Beer, beer and oh.. beer. (Good beer not that piss water stuff most call beer)

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

Great, neaderthals with beer. Don't you remember the recent thread about the bouncer?

[FirsTimer]

The Bible

oratleast10charsofit

[Sir EvilFreeSmeg]

The bible is too advanced. Neaderthals first have to get over the whole "hit Sheela hed, pul tu cav, bang, go bak tu fahr.

[MadMachine]

The bible is too advanced. Neaderthals first have to get over the whole "hit Sheela hed, pul tu cav, bang, go bak tu fahr.

Yeah, if you make them guilty about the whole thing, you're liable to really mess them up.

[Dondrei]

I'd bring them guitars.

Better yet, show them how to use the air guitars they already have.

WYLD STALLYNS!


Neanderthals are a different sub-species of human kind.

Pedant. But true.


A book on political/social philosophy, and then I would teach them to read and understand it.

So you figure get them started making mistakes early?

[Sokar Rostau]

The question is what single invention would I take back and leave behind. I will take this to mean a physical device of some description.

I would first have to re-invent the lost Minoan printing press, which had moveable type and worked on clay, and adapt it to our alphabet. I would then go back and teach them the alphabet and show them how to replicate the press so they can repair it and build new ones. They would also need to be able to fire their works to make them permanent, so I would show them first how to make mud bricks and use those bricks to build a kiln. Showing them how to build a kiln would also demonstrate how to build a basic dwelling.

The question asks what single device I would leave behind, it does not say I can't take other things back. On my laptop or PDA I would have information relative to agriculture and advanced hunting so that, for example, I could show them the basic ideas behind farming and what a bow and arrow is in an attempt to settle them. This information I would print on their new printing press. I would also print a bilingual lexicon/dictionary so there is a hard copy (literally) of their words with mine and an explanation of words their language has no equivalent for.

[Dondrei]

The question is what single invention would I take back and leave behind. I will take this to mean a physical device of some description.

I would first have to re-invent the lost Minoan printing press, which had moveable type and worked on clay, and adapt it to our alphabet. I would then go back and teach them the alphabet and show them how to replicate the press so they can repair it and build new ones. They would also need to be able to fire their works to make them permanent, so I would show them first how to make mud bricks and use those bricks to build a kiln. Showing them how to build a kiln would also demonstrate how to build a basic dwelling.

The question asks what single device I would leave behind, it does not say I can't take other things back. On my laptop or PDA I would have information relative to agriculture and advanced hunting so that, for example, I could show them the basic ideas behind farming and what a bow and arrow is in an attempt to settle them. This information I would print on their new printing press. I would also print a bilingual lexicon/dictionary so there is a hard copy (literally) of their words with mine and an explanation of words their language has no equivalent for.

But what's the objective of all this?

[Module88]

I wonder, how are we supposed to keep them from bashing our heads in?

[hardnfast]

the continuum transfunctioner...

[Ash Housewares]

a dartboard but no darts

haha, suckers...

[Bortaz]

Penicillin, of course.

[pedu]

A sledgehammer to destroy the timemachine and make myself king of the world.

All those who oppose i sledgehammerize to oblivion.

[Drosselmeier]

Penicillin, of course.

That would be a disaster. Overpopulation and then horrible epidemics due to anti-biotic resistant bacteria.

[Bortaz]

Yes! Carnage!

[Dawnmaster]

Is it allowed to go back with someone (you obviously don't like) and leave that person behind? :rolleyes:

[Sokar Rostau]

Is it allowed to go back with someone (you obviously don't like) and leave that person behind? :rolleyes:

Bush might finally have someone he can speak to on his own level...

[SaroDarksbane]

So you figure get them started making mistakes early?
Nah, political philosophy is a progression from very bad mistakes to not-quite-as-bad-as-last-time mistakes. I'd be teaching them to skip all those big, early mistakes and get started dealing with the mistakes we're making today. =D

[buttershug]

Pedant. But true.



Why is it pendant not germane?
I believe the OP was talking how to improve our species not replace it with another.
The Neanderthals are not our ancestors.

[MadMachine]

Why is it pendant not germane?
I believe the OP was talking how to improve our species not replace it with another.
The Neanderthals are not our ancestors.

I used the wrong word, I apologize. bladesyz and ECI pointed it out and the rest jumped on the hair splitting bandwagon.

[Sokar Rostau]

Actually there is a degree of debate about whether some Neanderthals interbred with H. sapien Sapiens. There is certainly one skeleton, found in Spain, that has been identified as a possible hybrid. They weren't, as most people assume, an entirely different species (meaning they couldn't interbreed), rather they were a specialised form of our own, hence the name - Homo sapien Neanderthalensis. We also know that at certain times and places both human types shared territory, though while interbreeding was certainly possible it was also certainly minimal if for no other reason than cultural differences. They were also not as stupid as most people assume, they had religion, art and language.

Why a printing press? From the press flows forth the oil of civilisation.

[Dondrei]

Nah, political philosophy is a progression from very bad mistakes to not-quite-as-bad-as-last-time mistakes. I'd be teaching them to skip all those big, early mistakes and get started dealing with the mistakes we're making today. =D

You might still be disappointed; everything was going swimmingly in the Classical period but then due to complex social factors everything slumped into the Dark Ages and we didn't pick up the slack again until - what, the 17th to 19th century or something? Unfortunately it seems to be tied in to what the society is like at the time rather than a linear progression.


Actually there is a degree of debate about whether some Neanderthals interbred with H. sapien Sapiens. There is certainly one skeleton, found in Spain, that has been identified as a possible hybrid. They weren't, as most people assume, an entirely different species (meaning they couldn't interbreed), rather they were a specialised form of our own, hence the name - Homo sapien Neanderthalensis. We also know that at certain times and places both human types shared territory, though while interbreeding was certainly possible it was also certainly minimal if for no other reason than cultural differences. They were also not as stupid as most people assume, they had religion, art and language.

That's right, but how do we know about the art and language? By art do you mean cave paintings? When you say language I have to assume you mean written because we couldn't know otherwise.


Why a printing press? From the press flows forth the oil of civilisation.

Only once it gets above a certain size and sophistication, I'd say. It's kind of the icing on the cake.

[buttershug]

You might still be disappointed; everything was going swimmingly in the Classical period but then due to complex social factors everything slumped into the Dark Ages and we didn't pick up the slack again until - what, the 17th to 19th century or something? Unfortunately it seems to be tied in to what the society is like at the time rather than a linear progression.


.


Progress took a huge growth spurt during a period of 40 years of extreme good weather that created bountiful bumper crops.
A British TV show talked about it.
The 40 years of plentiful food came at the right time though.

[Dondrei]

Progress took a huge growth spurt during a period of 40 years of extreme good weather that created bountiful bumper crops.
A British TV show talked about it.
The 40 years of plentiful food came at the right time though.

I think that's correlation, not causation. The wealthy countries always had enough to eat in that era anyway, they'd just buy their grain up from less well-to-do countries.

[buttershug]

I think that's correlation, not causation. The wealthy countries always had enough to eat in that era anyway, they'd just buy their grain up from less well-to-do countries.


The brit explained it much better but don't forget that transporting goods wasn't so effiecient before the steam engine.
Also the unemployed farmers had to do something.
The announcer made it sound like a positive feedback situation.
And don't forget that food would have been a large part of a non-farmer's income back then, so anything that drastically reduced expense would have made a big difference.

[Gnaard]

A Bible. 'Nuff said. But you see... apprently it's not enough said, because it's not letting me post this, cause it's too short.

[Dondrei]

A Bible. 'Nuff said. But you see... apprently it's not enough said, because it's not letting me post this, cause it's too short.

True, it would make good kindling.

[Gnaard]

True, it would make good kindling.

Wow. Ok. Remind me not to bring up religion again :wink3:

[pancakeman]

I think that's correlation, not causation. The wealthy countries always had enough to eat in that era anyway, they'd just buy their grain up from less well-to-do countries.

Depending on how well other countries were doing and just how short they were. Look at the French Revolution, food riots were part of what spurred on the spirit of revolt. If you're a peasant without food, who can you blame besides yourselves and God? The Gub'ment.


I'd bring back Mountain Dew. Lot more would have gotten done if they were wired.

[bladesyz]

If it's a single, physical device... Hmmm... I'd bring back a statue made of titanium steel of myself, with an ingrained loudspeaker that speaks in booming voices.

By the time I get back to my time, I would be the god of a worldwide religion.