Talk:Timeline of invention/Archive 1
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Language
There is a claim that "spoken language" (by which I assume the author meant "syntactic language") predates homo sapiens. Can anyone supply a reference for that? I haven't completely reviewed the literature, but I am not aware that any evidence exists to support that claim.
-- Selket Dec 9, 2004
I changed the entry for "spoken language" to simply "language" (early languages may have been gestural) and linked it to Origin of language which doesn't say if other hominids definitely developed language. Personally, I would get rid of the "pre homo sapiens" and "with homo sapiens" categories and replace them with Paleolithic and Neolithic.
--Brunnock 2005 Feb 10
Clocks and heating
Are "central heating" and the "clock" really ancient inventions? Perhaps clock should be sun dial or pendulum? Central heating .... ?? mirwin 22:32 Sep 4, 2002 (PDT)
The ancient world had centrally heated water for bath houses. I don't think they would have too much problem with bellows pumping slaves.What's wrong with that sentence... I mean its gramatical and all.....
Water clocks based on gravity predate mechanical clocks. And they were more accurate than them for the first couple of hundred years of ticking.
Lots to do here but first I'm going to Timeline of chemical element isolation
- I have moved the Timeline of chemical element isolation reference to the List of timelines page, as it fits better there and this page is really technology related. kiwiinapanic
Are measurements of the earth's dimensions (200 BC) and rotation (350 BC) really inventions (technology) or scientific discoveries/observation? See other timelines such as Timeline of solar system astronomy. - kiwiinapanic 22:45 Feb 14, 2003 (UTC)
I'm confused about the line
- Sumerian picto-graphic writing
because the article Sumer mentions a cuneiform but not pictographic writing. Can anyone shed light on this? -- Tarquin 16:40 6 Jun 2003 (UTC)
This list has lots of shaky info. Specifically I remember reading that the circular saw was invented by a woman in an egalitarian religious utopian colony in America; not by an English male. Now where is that source... Cimon Avaro on a pogo stick 16:51 6 Jun 2003 (UTC)
I was wondering ....
In St. Louis, Nikola Tesla made the first public demonstration of radio communication in 1893. He was addressing the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and the National Electric Light Association at St. Louis, he described and demonstrated in detail the principles of radio broadcasting.
In a lecture-demonstration given in St. Louis in the same year - two years before Marconi's first experiments-Tesla also predicted wireless communication; the apparatus that he employed contained all the elements of spark and continuous wave that were incorporated into radio transmitters before the advent of the vacuum tube. IEEE reference
If the date of the first practical, fielded, version of the invention is to be used, does this demonstration count as to being the 1st Radio signal? reddi 03:34, 9 Aug 2003 (UTC)
Adding to the comment on the amount of questionable information:
It's pretty disappointing to see an exciting entry like a date of 1595 for the Microscope (well ahead of the telescope, but that's quite possible for a simple (one-lens) microscope) and then find that there's absolutely no information on the matter in the article on microscopes or the non-existent article on the claimed inventor, Zacharias Janssen.
My mistake, more or less: I see that the claim is mentioned in the Timeline_of_microscope_technology, and it's a compound scope. Which raises the question, What do we do about disputed claims in this timeline? Perhaps the same thing that the microscope timeline does? (But that can result in double entries, again as in the microscope timeline, which may be more detail than one wants in this more general list. Dandrake 18:48, Oct 20, 2003 (UTC)
I don't think Microsoft Windows 3.1 should be in the timeline of "invention".
As someone wrote, "Microsoft realized early on that it didn't need to spend much on innovation or product development because it could simply come out with cheap imitations of popular products a few months or a few years later, and use the savings to drive the original products out of the market through vicious price competition. Far from hailing Bill Gates as a great innovator, I see him as the annoying kid in class who cheats off your paper and then gets a better grade than you."
"Carpet sweeper"? "Electric dry shaver"? "Kodak hand camera"? "Microsoft Windows"??? Please...
There are many items that could be removed from this list.
Let's focus on Stuff that Matter(TM)...
Cultivation of grains and domestication of animals, in the 3rd millennium BC? Where do people get these ideas? That's off by more than two millennia, though the details are highly controversial. Yeah, I know, this is a Wiki, fix it yourself, and I will when I have my books at hand, but really! Conversely, that time seems pretty early for pure mercury to be in use; I guess no one will ever volunteer to give us the source for this datum.
The 35th century BC was before the early 3rd millennium, not after. And Chinese ideograms are definitely not 31st century, just a century after hieroglyphics. I gues it's time to shut up and just rewrite a major part of this timeline and get it as right as can easily be done. But it reminds me of the weakness of a system in which anybody drops anything into the text and is not really expected to go to the trouble of mentioning a source. While we're at it, who will be first to go through and put in headings so that the entire timeline isn't one huge glob? Dandrake 18:53, Nov 16, 2003 (UTC)
Domestication of sheep and goats, 8,000 BC, happens to be in the almost-current issue of Science, 7 November 2003. Would anyone like to join the Document Your Dates movement? Dandrake 07:41, Nov 18, 2003 (UTC)
A vote of thanks to Morwen for putting in the section headings.
Moved a bunch of things, with dates mostly from Columbia History of the World: not the ultimate authority, but at least it doesn't have howlers like agriculture being invented in the 3rd millennium BC. A couple of century headings are still under the wrong (3rd) millennium; I don't want to change them until and unless I can be reasonably sure the data aren't nonsense. Anyone? Dandrake 08:51, Nov 18, 2003 (UTC)
The pure samples of mercury, zinc, etc have been commented out until someobdy can give support for these extraordinary claims. Dandrake 06:24, Jan 9, 2004 (UTC)
35th and 31st centuries
The 35th and 31st centuries BC have long been filed under the third millennium BC. This is wrong. As I'm unwilling to assert that all these things were invented in the 4th millennium, I've cut them out and archived them right here, to be restored correctly by anyone who has good data on the real dates. Dandrake 06:33, Jan 9, 2004 (UTC)
35th century BC
31st century BC
- Drainage and Sewage system in India
- Dams, canals, stone sculptures using inclined plane and lever in Sumeria
There are two entries for parachute. No sources, but someone should fix this. -prat 12:46, 2004 Jan 15 (UTC)
Are SACD and DVD-audio important inventions? Only time will tell, but for now I don't think we can say so. Otherwise, they are just another format, like 8-track tape. -- The Anome 13:34, 16 Feb 2004 (UTC)
Paleolithic and Neolithic?
Instead of assigning prehistoric inventions to pre homo sapiens and with homo sapiens categories, perhaps we could use the Paleolithic and Neolithic ages as most archaeologists do? -Brunnock 2005 Feb 8
Centuries prior to 2nd millenium
I don't think there are enough entries for centuries prior to the 2nd millenium to justify separate century headings. If there are no objections, I'd like to get rid of the headings. Brunnock 14:46, Apr 4, 2005 (UTC)
==
Chinese Inventions
Hum...there seems to be a lack of Chinese Inventions and Discoveries. Have anyone read The Genius of China 3,000 years of science, discovery and invention by Robert Temple? It provides a small list of Chinese invention. Maybe it could be added onto this Timeline.
- There are many Chinese inventions in the list. And I'm sure that the participants have read many books. Since this timeline is dependent upon the referenced Wikipedia articles, you should edit the respective articles. --Brunnock 14:55, July 12, 2005 (UTC)
what the jiggily mop?? şÀ[[]]
Of course someone can read the book or find evidence themselves if they don't trust it.
Time lags between Chinese Inventions/Discoveries and their Adoption/Recognition in the West
Agriculture
Row cultivation of crops and intensive hoeing 6thC BC 2,200 years
The iron plow 6thC BC 2,300 years
Efficient horse harness -- trace 4thC BC 500 years
-- collar 3rdC BC 1,000 years
The rotary winnowing fan 2ndC BC 2,000 years
The multi-tube "modern" seed drill 2ndC BC 1,800 years
Astronomy & Cartography
Recognition of sunspots as solar phenomenon 4thC BC 2,000 years
Quantitative cartography 2ndC BC 1,300 years
Discovery of the solar wind 6thC BC 1,400 years
The Mercator map projection 10thC AD 600 years
(Mounted) Equatorial astronomical instruments 13thC AD 600 years
Engineering
Sprouting bowls and standing waves 5thC BC never
Cast iron 4thC BC 1,700 years
Double-acting piston air bellows 4thC BC 1,900 years
Double-acting piston water bellows 4thC BC 2,100 years
Crank handle 2ndC BC 1,100 years
"Cardan suspension" or Gimbals 2ndC BC 1,100 years
Manufacture of steel from cast iron 2ndC BC 2,000 years
Deep drilling for natural gas 1stC BC 1,900 years
Belt drives 1stC BC 1,800 years
Water power 1stC AD 1,200 years
Chain pump 1stC AD 1,400 years
Suspension bridge 1stC AD 1,200 years
First cybernetic machine 3rdC AD 3,000 years
Essentials of the steam engine 5thC AD 3,200 years
"Magic" mirrors 5thC AD 1,500 years
"Siemens" steel process 5thC AD 1,300 years
Segmental arch bridge AD610 500 years
Chain drive AD976 800 years
Underwater salvage operations 11thC AD 800 years
Domestic & Industrial Technology
Lacquer: the first plastic 13thC BC 3,200 years
Strong beer (sake) 11thC BC never
Petroleum and natural gas as fuel 4thC BC 2,300 years
Paper 2ndC BC 1,400 years
Wheelbarow 1stC BC 1,300 years
Sliding calipers 1stC BC 1,500 years
Magic lantern 2ndC BC 1,800 years
Fishing reel 3rdC BC 1,400 years
Stirrup 3rdC AD 300 years
Porcelain 3rdC AD 1,700 years
Biological pest control 3rdC AD 1,700 years
Umbrella 4thC AD 1,200 years
Matches AD577 1,000 years
Chess 6thC AD 500 years
Brandy and Whisky 7thC AD 500 years
Mechanical clock AD725 585 years
Printing -- block printing 8thC AD 700 years
-- movable type AD1045 400 years
playing cards 9thC AD 599 years
Paper money 9thC AD 850 years
"Permanent" lamps 9thC AD never
Spinning wheel 11thC AD 200 years
Medicine & Health
Circulation of blood 6thC BC 1,800 years
Circadian rhythms in the human body 2ndC BC 2,150 years
Endocrinlogy (glands, secretion) 2ndC BC 2,100 years
Deficiency diseases 3rdC AD 1,600 years
Diabetes detection by urine analysis 7thC AD 1,000 years
Use of thyroid hormone 7thC AD 1,250 years
Immunology -- innoculation against smallpox 10thC AD 800 years
Mathematics
Decimal system 14thC BC 2,300 years
A place for zero 4thC BC 1,400 years
Negative numbers 2ndC BC 1,700 years
Extraction of higher roots & solutions of 1stC BC 600 years
higher equations
Decimal fractions 1stC BC 1,600 years
Using algebra in geometry 3rdC AD 1,000 years
A refined table of pi 3rdC AD 1,200 years
"Pascal's" triangle of coefficients AD1100 427 years
Magnetism
First compasses 4thC BC 1,500 years
Dial and pointer devices 3rdC AD 1,200 years
Magnetic declination of Earth's magnetic field 9thC AD 600 years
Magnetic remanence and induction 11thC AD 600 years
The Physical Sciences
Geobotanical prospecting 5thC BC 2,100 years
First law of motion 4thC BC 1,300 years
Hexagonal structure of snowflakes 2ndC BC 1,800 years
Seismograph AD130 1,400 years
Spontaneous combustion 2ndC AD 1,500 years
"Modern" geology 2ndC AD 1,500 years
Phosphorescent paint 10thC AD 700 years
Transportation & Exploration
Kite 5th/4thC BC 2,000 years
Manned flight with kites 4thC BC 1,650 years
First relief maps 3rdC BC 1,600 years
First contour transport canal 3rdC BC 1,900 years
Parachute 2ndC BC 2,000 years
Miniature hot-air baloons 2ndC BC 1,400 years
Rudder 1stC AD 1,100 years
Masts/sailing: Batten sails -- staggered masts 2ndC AD never
Multiple masts, fore & Aft rigs 2ndC BC 1,200 years
Leeboards 8thC AD 800 years
Watertight compartments in ships 2ndC BC 1,707 years
Helicopter rotor & propeller 4thC AD 1,500 years
Paddle-wheel boat 5thC AD 1,000 years
Land-sailing AD650 1,050 years
Canal pound-lock AD984 400 years
Sound & Music
Large tuned bell 6thC BC 2,500 years
Tuned drums 2ndC BC unknown
Hermetically sealed research laboratories 1stC BC 2,000 years
First understanding of musical timbre 3rdC AD 1,600 years
Equal temperament in music AD1584 50 years
Warfare
Chemical warfare: poison gas, smoke bombs 4thC AD 2,300 years
& tear gas
Crossbow 4thC BC 200 years
Gunpowder 9thC AD 300 years
Flame-thrower 10thC AD 1,000 years
Flares & fireworks 10thC AD 250 years
Soft bombs & grenades AD1000 400 years
Metal-cased bombs AD1221 246 years
Land mines AD1277 126 years
Sea mines 14thC AD 200 years
Rocket 11thC AD 200 years
Multi-staged rockets 14thC AD 600 years
Guns, cannon & mortars -- firelance AD1120 450 years
-- true gun AD1280 50 years
Microphone
I am removing the microphone by Charles Wheatstone entry for a second time.
The microphone article states that it was invented in 1877. The Charles Wheatstone article states that his "microphone" consisted of 2 slender rods. In other words, a stethoscope.
--Brunnock 12:13, August 9, 2005 (UTC)
Am no expert on this stuff but have recently vied a DVD called "Secrets of the Stone Age" by Richard Rudgley - he is an anthropologist who points out the discoveries of a considerable amount of evidence suggesting that such things as cloth (requiring looms)and beads (requiring drills)of a fairly advanced nature were being manufactured some 30-40 thousand years ago.
Suggests that you may need to revise the early part of the timeline - am just a novice at the moment so leaving it alone . . .
rossfi 19-08-2005
List of accidental inventions?
How about a List of accidental inventions? Like silly putty, play-doh, etc? Gflores Talk 05:18, 7 February 2006 (UTC)
