Category: Anthropology
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From Relay Stations to Instant Messaging: The Evolution of Scientific Exchange
In our digital era, an email or instant message can circle the globe in seconds. Yet this capability reflects centuries of incremental innovation. From horseback couriers to high-speed fiber networks, each advance in communication has accelerated scientific progress and reshaped collaboration. Early Fragmentation After the invention of paper, written records existed but moved slowly. In…
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The Evolution of Human Civilization and Information Capacity
Oral Traditions and the Limits of Memory Human civilization has always been closely tied to the amount of information we can process and store. For example, when societies transitioned from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to farming, the ability to record and pass down crucial agricultural knowledge—such as when to plant crops, when to harvest, and how to…
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Energy Storage Density: The Hidden Driver of Human Progress
Throughout human history, the advancement of civilization has been closely tied to the energy storage density of the resources we utilize. By energy storage density, we mean the amount of energy stored per kilogram that can be harnessed. From the earliest times, people needed energy to cook food, to keep warm, and to survive harsh…
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Belief Is Not Set in Stone
Religion and philosophy aren’t really about getting a fixed message straight from some higher truth – they’re more about how people interpret ideas that feel meaningful to them. Over time, those interpretations shift, shaped by history, culture, and whatever society needs at the moment. That’s why two people can follow the same religion or school…