Science / 362876

I want to share this idea here as well

Kinda just randomly had this idea for a book.

You know how everyone says "if you were sent in time, it's not like you'd be able to transfer any useful scientific knowledge".

So I thought, what if there was a book on exactly that, documenting a bunch of useful concepts, laws, etc, that would give anyone an overview of science overall?

Most importantly it would have something like a contents page so you would be able to skim through everything.

Bernd2026-07-09 07:55:51 · 22hNo. 362877 reply

This is a reply I got

I think this would be an excellent book if you can actually list out where each component came from. Like if you want to explain how a smartphone works, you’ll need to dive into first electricity, materials science, physics, then into more detail (the exact circuit, the semiconductor, the mechanical manufacturing, etc)

Would be a massive undertaking though. When you get to this level of expertise, engineers are far past the point of being generalists. These inventions were as much a product of knowledge and genius as they were urbanization, education systems, trade, and stable social structure, which an ancient person might still not have access to.

Bernd2026-07-09 07:58:27 · 22hNo. 362878 reply

For example, it could be similar to videogame tech trees somewhat, but obviously more complicated.

In fact there's probably a videogame out there with a really elaborate tech tree out there.

I want to start with this first.

The most important techs (if we're transported extremely back) are:

Agriculture

Fire

Writing

Tool making

Maybe shelter building from adobe and wood

Bernd2026-07-09 08:01:32 · 22hNo. 362879 reply

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Ah yes, mathematics and basic physics too of course.

Also it'd be interesting to build a path from electricity to technology, in fact there are youtube videos on this exact subject. I sure love youtube for how it enables information exchange.

YouTube: vuvckBQ1bME

...there's actually a LOT of videos on the subject.

YouTube: HaBMAD-Dr8M this is about the logic gates for example

Bernd2026-07-09 18:06:00 · 12hNo. 362886 reply

>>362878

Animal husbandry if you want to separate it from agriculture. Canines were domesticated very early on, way before than any livestock, and I'm sure their domestication helped with other animals.

Making fabrics and clothing from fur and leather (tanning!), and from various suitable plant materials (perhaps nettle).

I wonder when they started to make cordage. They could use various plants as is, but as with fabrics, some plants can be processed into fibers, and from fibers they could make cordage/rope.

Frankly they figured out Five C of basic self-reliance:

- cutting tools

- cordage

- cover (clothing and shelter, preserving body temperature)

- combustion devices (making fire)

- containers (not necessarily clay pots and such, but stuff like hollowed tree trunks and whatnot)

Also they did agriculture as hunter gatherers: they had a travel cycle, places they visited year round, and they saw seeds at one place (without much cultivation) and when they returned there were some consumable plants, berries, leafy "vegetables", tubers, etc.

Bernd2026-07-09 20:00:58 · 10hNo. 362888 reply

Very basic physics, chemistry and biology stuff would make a huge difference. Basics of mechanics and its mathematical handling, making magnets out of iron and electric circuits out of copper, basic hygiene to prevent the spreading of disease etc

Basic technology like the printing press, boiling wood pulp to extract cellulose etc.would an enormous difference. Eg. papermaking and the printing press would allow a very vibrant intellectual life to flourish