A higher view of evolution.
The dawn of collective learning can be traced back the oldest known stone tools, discovered at Lomekwi 3 in Kenya. The creation of these tools required more than just individual innovation; it involved the rudimentary form of collective learning, where knowledge of toolmaking was shared within groups. This early transmission of skills not only enhanced […]
Collective Learning Emerges Read More »
Transcendental Intelligence (TI) likely emerged around this time in species like Homo antecessor and Homo heidelbergensis. Species such as these mark a compelling case for the early development of TI: the ability to store information outside the mind and across generations. This would likely take the form of stories, art, or something like a symbolic
Transcendental Intelligence Emerges Read More »
These early scales provided a vital protective layer, acting like underwater armor against predators, abrasions, and environmental threats. The keratin genes that led to scales are an interesting part of our story. When amphibians evolved onto land, scales near the tips of their evolving toes transformed into thicker protection and traction, eventually giving rise to
Keratin Genes & the Rise of Scales in Fish Read More »
Earliest known agrarian society in the Americas zone: In Oaxaca, Mexico, the site of GuilĂ¡ Naquitz provides evidence of early plant domestication, particularly of squash, around 8000 BCE, with subsequent developments including maize and beans. Imagined Image: An early agrarian society of Oaxaca, Mexico, circa 7900 BCE. It showcases small, temporary shelters, with indigenous people
Mexico: GuilĂ¡ Naquitz (Agrarian) Read More »
GOE: The Great Oxidation Event started enriching the atmosphere with oxygen beginning around 2.4 billion years ago. It marked one of Earth’s most dramatic transformations. Initiated by the widespread activity of photosynthetic cyanobacteria, this period, known as the Great Oxidation Event, gradually saw the accumulation of oxygen that was initially absorbed by oceanic iron. As
Third Atmosphere: Oxygen Atmosphere Read More »
The process of salination likely began soon after the oceans formed but took hundreds of millions of years to reach the salinity levels similar to what we see today. The oceans were likely significantly salty by about 3.5 billion years ago. Salinity increased primarily through the weathering of rocks and the leaching of minerals (including
Second Oceans: From Fresh to Salty Read More »
18 Generations Ago Francis Bacon was born on January 22, 1561, in London to a prominent and influential family. The young Francis Bacon received a comprehensive education, attending the prestigious Trinity College, Cambridge, at the age of 12. Bacon is the Father of the Scientific Method, but notice he is not the inventor. Bacon laid
Francis Bacon (1561-1626) Read More »
The synthesis of simple organic molecules such as formaldehyde (H₂CO), methanol (CH₃OH), and simple hydrocarbons in the dense molecular clouds of the interstellar medium occured once sufficient carbon was present. This process has been ongoing for billions of years but became more prevalent as the universe aged and more carbon became available. Big History Thresholds:
Interstellar Clouds: Organic Molecules Read More »
Immediately following the state of the singularity, the universe entered a phase of rapid expansion and cooling, known as the Big Bang Expansion. This critical period signifies not an explosion in space but the very expansion of space itself, from an incomprehensibly dense point known as a singularity. For more, check out: The Expanding Universe
Big Bang Expansion Read More »
The appearance of self-replicating molecules, such as RNA or similar nucleic acid analogues, signified a monumental leap towards life. These molecules had the ability to store genetic information and catalyze their own replication, laying the foundational mechanism for heredity and evolution by natural selection, driving the complexity forward towards the emergence of life as we
First Life: Self-Replicating Molecules Read More »
76,000 Generations Ago Homo erectus is a direct ancestor of modern humans and represents a key point in human evolution where evidence of a truly omnivorous diet becomes clear, including the use of tools for hunting and processing both plant and animal foods. This species shows significant brain enlargement and other adaptations indicative of complex
Homo erectus: A True Omnivore Read More »
Both reptiles and our ancestor synapsids evolved from amphibians. While reptiles evolved better amniotic eggs, synapsid eggs were like amphibian eggs. Synapsid’s birthing process eventually led to mammalian live births. These are the animals that evolved Complex Sentience, the ability to feel various emotions. While it is unknown when this complex spectrum fully evolved, it
Early Complex Sentience Emerges: Dimetrodon Read More »
Class: Mammaliaforms or maybe Synapsida Time Period: Late Triassic to Early Jurassic Diet: Likely Herbivore Morganucodon is an example of a plant eater likely similar to our direct-line ancestors around this time. It is not a direct human ancestor but is among the early mammaliaforms, close to the lineage leading to true mammals. It likely
Morganucodon: An Early Mammalian Herbivore Read More »
Plesiadapis, a proto-primate, is an example of a fruit-insect eater likely similar to our direct-line ancestors around this time. Class: Mammal; Early Primate (Plesiadapiformes) Time Period: Late Paleocene Diet: Likely Frugivorous/Insectivorous
Plesiadapis: First fruit-insect eaters. Read More »
Invented by Newton in the 1660s (pub. 1687) and independently by Leibniz in the 1680s (pub. 1684). Both built on Galileo’s popularizing the idea of the infinitesimal. Calculus, the mathematical study of continuous change, introduced the concepts of differentiation and integration, providing tools to model and analyze motion, growth, and the infinitesimal. Newton, working primarily
The Invention of Calculus Read More »
From Baroque music and paintings to sculptures and archicture. The dawn of the 17th century witnessed the birth of the Baroque era, marking a transformative period in the history of art that spanned from circa 1600 to 1750 CE. Originating in Italy and spreading across Europe, the Baroque movement represented a significant evolution in artistic
The Birth of Baroque Art Read More »
In the vibrant intellectual climate of Ancient Greece, the 6th century BCE marks the embryonic stage of formal logic, attributed to the philosopher Thales of Miletus (around 624-546 BCE). Thales, recognized as the first of the Seven Sages of Greece, embarked on a quest that laid the foundational stones of logical thought. He shifted the
The Birth of Logic Read More »
17,000 fragments totally maybe 2,500 tablets, discoved in the 1970s, only a few hundred have been translated. The library of Ebla, located in the ancient city of the same name was located in modern-day Syria. This library dates back to the 24th century BCE and contained thousands of clay tablets written in Sumerian and Eblaite,
Oldest Known Library: Ebla Read More »
Creatures of this time evolved into fish (us), jellyfish, cephlapods, and arthropods. In the deep waters of the late Precambrian era, the seeds of sentience were sown with the evolution of the earliest common ancestors to later cephalopods and fish. These primordial creatures, equipped with the most basic nervous systems, embarked on the path toward
Presentient Animals Emerge: The Ediacaran Prelude Read More »
Population I stars likely started forming around 8 to 10 billion years ago, with the process continuing to the present day as new star-forming regions develop in galaxies. These third generation stars are composed of the remnants of Population II stars. The majority of the stars adorning the Milky Way today belong to this third
Population I Stars: Like our Sun Read More »
Explore insights into science, philosophy, and history. This community features the writings of Mike Prestwood, a natural philosopher. This throwback title signifies his dedication to weaving together science, philosophy, and history. Engage in insightful discussions in a moderated, safe space where the realms of the irrational and unknowable are respectfully acknowledged but left at the doorway. Ready to connect with like-minded thinkers?
