A new wave of technologies that significantly transform society emerges every ten years. That never stops being absurd. Every time the newest, wackiest technology becomes routine and is replaced with more wackier technology, it becomes antiquated. Since when do people still find cordless phones to be amazing? A video camera, dictionary, recipe book, weather app, and weather forecasting service are all included in today's smartphones. Keep calm, world!
You might not be aware, despite all of this activity, that some of the appliances and technology you have used on a daily basis for the duration of your life predate your great-great-great-grandparents. No, actually. Some of the inventions of the ancients were so brilliant, so ridiculously excellent, that even today, centuries (or millennia!) later, no one has invented a better way to do things.
Give thanks to the ancient Egyptians for your healthy teeth and breath
It's ironic that no other animals brush, floss, and wash their mouths the way people do given how much time and money humans spend on dental care. Now, don't interpret this as a request to stop brushing. Oh please, no, don't. Instead, it's evidence that whoever had the crazy great idea to invent toothpaste did a fantastic job. According to HowStuffWorks, toothpaste has actually been there since ancient Egypt. While those people weren't chewing on manufactured sweeteners, they did have to contend with sand and grit getting into their bread dough.The enamel on teeth is not excellent!
Colgate claims that toothpaste use by the Egyptians dates back to 5000 BCE. However, it is clear that the toothpaste they used back then didn't contain fluoride, novamin, or xylitol since one example of an Egyptian toothpaste recipe from the fourth century reportedly contained crushed rock salt, a ton of pepper, dried iris flower, and mint. At least the last bit was preserved, right?
One contemporary Austrian dentist who gave it a try reported that it made his gums bleed (ouch), but otherwise accomplished the job fairly well, assuming you don't mind bleeding. Even though the various recipes for toothpaste have been greatly improved, it is still amazing that the idea has existed for as long as the pyramids.
For a very, very long time, locks have been discovered
Every time you leave your house at night and lock it behind you by inserting a small key into a small hole, take a moment to quietly thank the good ol' Mesopotamians who, according to D.T. Potts, figured out how to lock doors way back at the dawn of human civilization.
According to Gizmodo, there has been evidence of locking systems since 4000 BCE in what is now Iraq. Although made of vintage wood rather than modern metal, these Mesopotamian pin locks nonetheless performed in a manner that is strikingly similar to modern versions.
Using brass pins, the Egyptians improved this design, which was subsequently copied by Greece and eventually made its way to the Roman Empire. The use of metal locks spread during the Middle Ages, a time when dragons and the plague were major worries, and the general design hasn't changed all that much since then. Even though electric locks are now more prevalent than ever before, it's difficult to believe that the traditional analog design will ever completely disappear.
The development of paper in China changed everything
Consider a society without paper. E-readers are amazing now, but would mankind have ever advanced to its current state if individuals had continued to carve letters into stones a few hundred years ago? Even just one book would have required a lifetime to write.
China is credited with creating paper. According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia, the Chinese began experimenting with hemp-based paper materials in the second century BCE. This may have happened accidentally when hemp-based clothing was left outside too long after being washed. A famous inventor by the name of Cai Lun developed more sophisticated paper a few centuries later. He soaked and pressed plant fibers until the heated, long, dry sheets were absurdly perfect for writing on.
This eventually developed into those formerly popular paper scrolls, followed by paper currency, paper ornaments, and so forth. For ages, the Chinese experimented with various paper types, compositions, and colors, but they worked hard to keep this amazing technology a secret from Europe and the Middle East. The world, however, has never looked back since those nosy Westerners eventually realized what was going on, stole the great paper recipe sometime around the ninth century CE.
Of course, hemp is currently seeing a resurgence, and with it, traditional hemp paper.
(Unless it makes you ill) Gotta love that Roman plumbing
It goes without saying that the genius who came up with the concept of plumbing first deserves a gold star in the annals of history. According to Science Magazine, ancient Rome had the luxury of having halfway acceptable bathrooms because to a sophisticated network of aqueducts that may have been built as early as 200 BCE. Impressive? Oh, yes. Particularly when you consider how much worse everything became when the Middle Ages arrived.
Even though Rome's plumbing system was an architectural marvel and undoubtedly had an influence on the watery wonders we enjoy today, history reveals that it had some flaws. For starters, lead pipes most likely contributed to lead poisoning, a major concern (and one that still exists today, as residents of Flint, Michigan can attest to). The Atlantic also notes that while Rome's toilets, sewers, baths, and other facilities may have been constructed with the goal of reducing disease, the evidence has shown that they didn't actually do much for the public health... at least, not by modern standards, unless you consider widespread whipworm, dysentery, lice, and bedbugs to be a "minor" concern. Yikes.
The toilet in your bathroom (and the bum that sits on it) nonetheless owe the Roman empire a debt of gratitude even though their plumbing seems disgusting to us now.
Even the ancients enjoyed drinking alcohol
There would be one certain comfort you could rely on if you were to turn your time machine to "random," just to see what era or area you popped up in: someone, somewhere in the world, would be getting destroyed. Let's go, mankind! However, which culture actually started the whole alcohol thing, looking back? In order to avoid being clichéd and blaming the Irish, you need be aware that the earliest records of alcohol usage date from China, per NBC News. Although an early wine made of honey, rice, and fruit might have given those people a terrible hangover 9,000 years ago, the science of alcohol production was still in its infancy.
Whoever understood first that consuming fermented fruits causes a crazy and dizzy reaction—or that it wouldn't kill you—is unknown, but after everyone caught on, the world has never been the same. For instance, there is proof of wine made from grapes in Iran dating back to 5,400 BCE. History claims that the origins of beer may be traced to the Middle East, where some 5,000 years ago, the Sumerians celebrated with alcohol and even worshiped Ninkasi, a goddess of beer.
And since alcohol and people go together like peanut butter and jelly, this situation is likely to persist for some time to come. It makes sense why "Prohibition" as a whole didn't work out.
The courageous (and quite old) man who created the vending machine
Want to venture a guess as to when the steam engine was created? Actually, it was done 2,000 years ago by a Greek man named Hero of Alexandria (or Heron, as he is sometimes ascribed). According to Kotaku, this incredibly brave dude's invention, the aeolipile, decoded a code that wouldn't be done so again until the 1800s. As if that weren't impressive enough, according to Encyclopedia Britannica, Hero's brilliance was so far ahead of his time that he also created wind-powered technology, automated "robot" devices, mathematical ideas like Hero's formula and Fermat's principle, and authored a number of important geometry books. Essentially, this man was the Shuri of 62 CE, but he was genuine.
Oddly enough, the vending machine was one of Hero's more entertaining inventions. Of course, Hero's version dispensed holy water instead of soda cans or candy bars like the one in your break room. But it used coins, just like the vending machines of today. Granola bars are undoubtedly more thrilling than a burst of water, but you have to admire this device for starting the process in the first place and, most likely, never having anything get trapped in it.
You won't be able to guess when the first newspaper was printed
Contrary to popular belief, the common people of the Roman Empire shared your interest in information. Fortunately, they had their own "newspaper" to keep them informed of the most recent developments. This daily publication, called Acta diurna, served as the model for all subsequent newspapers.Acta, a Latin word that means "things that have been done," was divided into two historic imprints.
In comparison to its sister publication, Actua senatus, which was only available to politicians (or could be read at the library with special permission), Acta diurna was a public journal that covered various social events, obituaries, human interest stories, and sports updates (you know, gladiators).
The Aztecs produced their own hot cocoa
Although people have been eating chocolate for a very long time, the solid chocolate bars we see today are a relatively recent invention. however, hot chocolate beverages? Those have been around forever, even though they weren't always quite as sweet.
First off, it's vital to explain a few terminology for the benefit of people shouting "chocolate is a plant!" in the back: the beans are technically called cacao, whereas "chocolate" is any food or drink item manufactured from the aforementioned cacao beans. Got it? The word chocolate is originated from the Aztec "xocoatl," which was the name for the specific hot beverage they enjoyed creating. According to the Smithsonian, chocolate was only a hot beverage for the great duration of its history. Aztec xocoatl was generally comparable to what you drink now, but it was bitter instead of sweet. It is likely that chocolate consumption in Latin America dates back three or four millennia. Both the Aztecs and the Mayans thought chocolate had divine characteristics. Not a surprise given the ongoing obsession with it among people.
Back then, cosmetics were just as significant as they are today
It's not a new trend for people to love to accessorize their faces with eyeliner, lipstick, and other cosmetics. According to CNN, cosmetics played a significant role in daily life in ancient Egypt. No of your gender, class, or origin, wearing makeup was acceptable and encouraged, and a lot of it looked like modern-day cosmetics.
Cleopatra, for instance, adored applying red lipstick in front of her mirror even though it was made from crushed beetles. Although eye shadow frequently contained animal fat or vegetable oil, specialty eye paints could be made from materials like crushed glass and gold. HowStuffWorks claims that eye liner, which was made of "kohl" (a combination of different metals, almonds, and diamonds), was freely used by both men and women to block sunlight, ward off evil spirits, and (possibly unintentionally) protect against infections. The use of makeup expanded to the Romans and Greeks in the centuries that followed, and although the art form experienced a fall throughout the Middle Ages, it has since grown to become one of the largest enterprises on the world.
Before the Romans, there was concrete
To be fair, the Roman Empire deserves much of the credit for the invention of concrete because they were the ones to master the formula for this icy, hard, and gray substance better than anybody else. However, contrary to popular belief, it wasn't created by the Romans first.According to Harvinder Singh, concrete buildings built by the Nabataeans, an Arab desert people, date back to 6,500 BCE and have been discovered throughout the Middle East (specifically, modern-day Syria and Jordan). Giatec Scientific claims that about 3,000 years later, the Chinese and Egyptians were also edging closer to cement.
Naturally, the Romans then took over and outdid themselves by building some of the most impressive structures in human history using a mixture of lime, seawater, and volcanic ash. Sadly, concrete technology virtually disappeared during the Middle Ages before being revived in the 1700s. Funny thing about that old Roman concrete, though: according to Time Magazine, it was actually superior (and more environmentally friendly) than modern mixtures, as evidenced by the fact that historic Roman monuments are still standing tall today, 2000 years later. The integrity of more modern 20th century structures, in comparison, is, to put it mildly, poor.
No of the era, umbrellas have always been a stylish accessory
According to ThoughtCo, umbrellas have been for a very long time before Rihanna, Mary Poppins, the Penguin, or even James Smith and Sons. In reality, people have been shielding their heads from the elements using umbrellas for more than 4,000 years.
Depending on how narrowly you define the term "umbrella," it's possible that the Egyptians were the ones to start things off. According to Umbrella History, they were the ones who created the first parasols used to shield people from the sun, even though these items were manufactured from palm leaves fastened to a stick. Such parasols eventually became associated with Egyptian royalty. It's important to note, however, that the Egyptians never tried to waterproof their parasols. According to TheInventors.org, the Chinese began waxing and lacquering their umbrellas in the eleventh century BCE. Similar to Egypt, China adopted the use of magnificent four-tiered umbrellas as a sign of grandeur for the monarch.
The use of umbrellas began to spread to Greece and Rome somewhere in the first millennium BCE, but only among women.Yes, I do.Because, you know, turning down an umbrella so you can show up at your next business meeting drenched is nothing but super-macho, right?This ridiculous trend persisted until the 1700s, when a visitor from England by the name of Jonas Hanway declared it "okay" for men to hold umbrellas as well.
Democracy has a long history
If you were to read a history book and get to the conclusion that the majority of it was dominated by cruel authoritarian regimes, where dreadful egomaniacs viciously violated the rights of thousands of subjects, then, yeah, that's not a lie, either. Class distinctions and those who take advantage of them have always existed; billion-dollar firms of today are only the logical development of feudal rulers.
There are some encouraging moments in history, such as the discovery that the Greeks had this brilliant concept of "democracy" thousands of years before the American Founding Fathers made it hip. According to history, the term "democracy" actually derives from the Greek demokratia, which means "rule by the people." Demokratia, which consisted of three distinct governing bodies of delegates, was first noted and first effective democracy in the world, introduced by a person named Cleisthenes of Athens in the year 507 BCE. For around 200 years, this method performed rather effectively.
There is no denying that this creative Greek invention changed the world by laying the foundation for many of today's political systems, even though it had some drawbacks such as the fact that only male Athenian citizens aged 18 or older could vote, excluding women, residents whose parents hadn't been born in Athens, and slaves (sigh). Excellent work, Cleisthenes.
