Master Timeline
One of the earliest known true dinosaurs in the Dinosauria order is Eoraptor lunensis. From this predatory bird-like precursor, the birds and dinosaurs emerged. This direct-line ancestor evolved into theropods, birds, sauropods and ornithischians. Eoraptor emerged during the Late Triassic period, approximately 231.4 million years ago, in what is now Argentina. It is considered one […]
First True Dinosaur: Eoraptor lunensis. Read More »
In more advanced forms, play becomes a complex tool for social bonding, emotional learning, and cognitive development. Carnivores like wolves and cats engage in cooperative games that refine group hunting skills, while elephants are known for their intricate, playful interactions that build emotional connections. Among primates, play takes on its most elaborate forms, fostering problem-solving,
Higher Play Evolves in Social Mammals Read More »
Play in its most basic form likely began as simple, physical interactions aimed at honing survival skills. Modern animals like squirrels, kangaroos, and hedgehogs still exhibit these foundational behaviors, engaging in chasing, pouncing, and wrestling. These actions help young animals develop coordination and reflexes while providing a safe way to practice life-essential tasks. Surprisingly, even
Early Play Evolves in Mammals Read More »
About 200 million years after the broader separation of animals, plants, and fungi, red and green algae evolved from a common ancestor. Green algae later gave rise to land plants, with all land plants descending from green algae around 475 million years ago. Both green algae and land plants share chlorophyll, a key to their
Red-Green Algae Split Read More »
Around 1.5 million years ago, the ancestors of today’s bonobos and chimpanzees became isolated from one another, likely due to the formation of the Congo River. This geographical barrier separated populations of the genus Pan, which ultimately evolved into two distinct species: bonobos (Pan paniscus) south of the Congo River, and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to
Chimpanzee-Bonobo Split Read More »
Location: Divje Babe Cave, Slovenia Attribution: Possibly Neanderthal Material: Bear femur Discovered in the 1990s, this flute-like artifact features holes resembling those used for producing music. If confirmed as a flute, it would suggest that Neanderthals possessed musical traditions. However, some scholars argue these holes might be from animal activity. The Divje Babe flute continues
A French philosopher and novelist, Camus wrestled with the absurdity of existence, the tension between humanity’s search for meaning and the indifferent, silent universe. In my writing, Camus aligns closely with the idea of embracing the wild horse—acknowledging life’s meaninglessness yet choosing to live fully and authentically in spite of it. His notion of rebellion
Albert Camus (1913–1960, age 46) Read More »
Norwegian philosopher, Zapffe is known for extending Schopenhauer’s dark existentialism and framing human consciousness as an evolutionary misstep. He believed that human self-awareness leads to suffering because it far exceeds what is necessary for survival. In my writing, I caution against limiting ourselves to Zapffe’s fatalistic views. His four strategies for coping with this burden—isolation,
Peter Zapffe (1899-1990, age 90) Read More »
Schopenhauer, deeply influenced by Kant’s work, extended the distinction between Phenomena and Noumena by introducing his concept of the will. While Kant viewed the noumenal world as unknowable, Schopenhauer identified it as a blind will that drives all living beings. This will, much like Aristotle’s life force (entelechy), propels existence. The key difference in Schopenhauer’s
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860, age 72) Read More »
Kierkegaard explored themes of anxiety, freedom, and the burden of choice. Living before psychology was a formal discipline, he wrote about angst, an existential anxiety arising from human freedom. His concept of the leap of faith emphasized making decisions authentically, even when faced with uncertainty. For Kierkegaard, anxiety wasn’t to be feared but embraced, as
Søren Aabye Kierkegaard (1813-1855, age 42) Read More »
Fiber Technology Pushes Back Cognitive Milestones: Fiber technology is the ability to process and manipulate plant fibers into things like string, ropes, clothing, and nets. It represents a milestone in cognitive abilities and cultural progress, requiring not just dexterity but also a deep understanding of material properties. The brains needed for this technology had to
Homo habilis, one of the earliest known human ancestors, emerged around 2.3 million years ago with a brain size significantly larger than modern chimpanzees. By around 1.8 million years ago, they became the first species known to use toothpicks for dental hygiene, alongside their advanced tool use for specific tasks like skinning animals and cutting
Earliest Known Toothpicks Read More »
Digital AI Filesystem Emerge By 2032 (+/- 4 years) Artificial intelligence transforms how we manage and interact with digital data. While we continue to work on projects, name resources, and store them according to our preferences, AI-driven file systems will assist in this process, removing many of the obstacles we face today. With this new
Digital AI Filesystem Emerge Read More »
Around 25 to 29 million years ago, Old World monkeys, including species like baboons and macaques, branched off from the common ancestor shared with apes. Unlike their ape cousins, Old World monkeys retained their tails and adapted to a wider range of habitats, from forests to savannas. Baboons, known for their ground-dwelling behavior, exhibit strong
Baboons Branch Off: Old World Monkeys Read More »
The last surviving primate before the great apes! Gibbons are a “lesser ape” that branched off from our common ancestor with great apes. By this time, our ancestors had already lost their tails (like all apes) and were very agile in trees, using brachiation (arm-swinging) to move through the canopy. Gibbons are known for their
Gibbons Branch Off: Genus Hylobates Read More »
Location: Neolithic Settlement of Dispilio, Greece. Discovered in 1993, the Dispilio Tablet is an ancient wooden tablet, etched with intricate symbols. Its symbols have yet to be deciphered, leaving its true purpose shrouded in mystery. Were these marks part of a record-keeping system? A symbolic ritual? Or could they represent one of the earliest known forms
Dispilio Tablet: European Proto-Writing Read More »
Laughter is closely related to emotional intelligence: The roots of laughter can be traced back to our common ancestors with other great apes, living around 10 to 15 million years ago. These early primates likely exhibited rudimentary forms of laughter as a social signal during play, much like modern-day chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas. This “animal
As hominins began to diverge from their great ape relatives around 2 to 4 million years ago, the simple vocalizations of their ancestors evolved into more sophisticated forms of communication. Among these was “human-like laughter,” characterized by its rhythmic structure, emotional depth, and social significance. Unlike the breathy panting of earlier primates, human laughter developed
Human Laughter Emerges Read More »
The Sungir Burial Site, dating back to around 30,000 BCE, offers a remarkable glimpse into the lives of Upper Paleolithic humans in what is now Russia. The people of Sungir were part of a sophisticated hunter-gatherer society, living in the cold climate of the Russian Plain. They were highly skilled artisans and craftsmen, evidenced by
Sunghir Burial Site Read More »
Europe, Czech Republic: The Vinor Circular Building, discovered in Vinoř, Prague, is a remarkable archaeological site dating back to approximately 900 years before the common Biblical creation date. This Neolithic structure, known as a roundel, consists of three concentric trenches forming a large circular enclosure with multiple entrances. With an internal diameter of about 55
Vinor Circular Building: a roundel Read More »
