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Cave paintings (also known as “parietal art”) are painted drawings on cave walls or ceilings, mainly of prehistoric origin, dated to some 40,000 years ago (around 38,000 BCE) in Eurasia. Through these painted drawings on cave walls, we are able to learn about the history and culture of early human life, since the people in prehistoric times used this method in order to record the important events in their lives. -
The oldest petroglyphs are dated to approximately the Neolithic and late Upper Paleolithic boundary, about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago, if not earlier (Kamyana Mohyla). The petroglyphs gave me an insight into how the ancient people communicated through these early etchings for many years. The carvings depict what is assumed to be animals, surroundings, and other figures, which may represent the scenes from their everyday lives. -
Cuneiform characters were imprinted on a wet clay tablet with a stylus often made of reed. Once written upon, many tablets were dried in the sun or air. Later, these could be soaked in water and recycled into new clean tablets. While record-keeping and administration were the reason for the development of writing, it was soon used for stories, memories, and other outputs. Collections of these clay documents made up the very first archives. They were at the root of the first libraries. -
Papyrus was first manufactured in Egypt as far back as the fourth millennium BCE. The earliest archaeological evidence of papyrus was excavated in 2012 and 2013 at Wadi al-Jarf, an ancient Egyptian harbor located on the Red Sea coast. Different materials and forms of writing dominated in several eras, but since the Egyptians produced a smooth, flexible writing material called papyrus, it would definitely remain in use for longer than any other. -
Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia and originating in China in antiquity as a method of printing on textiles and later paper. It remained the most common East Asian method of printing books and other texts, as well as images, until the 19th century. Not only did woodblock printing help in conveying information, it also became a form of entertainment as different images carved on wood can be transferred to silk or paper. -
The printing press had been invented in the 15th century by Johannes Gutenberg, allowing literature and literacy to become more accessible, and in turn influencing religious and political views around the world as it was widely adopted. This has helped in sharing large amounts of information easily and more quickly. It is evident how this invention drastically changed and impacted the way society progressed. -
The oldest direct handwritten news sheets circulated widely in Venice as early as 1566. These weekly news sheets were full of information on wars and politics in Italy and Europe. The first printed newspapers were published weekly in Germany from 1609. People have long circulated news via word-of-mouth; since there is already a history in the printing press, the exchange of information became faster as the presses could print thousands of papers at a cheap cost. -
The world's first photograph, “View from the Window at Le Gras,” was taken by Joseph Nicéphore Niépce in 1826 or 1827. Captured using a technique known as heliography, the shot was taken from an upstairs window at Niépce's estate in Burgundy. While the photo was just a simple black and white with poor quality, it still became a significant part of history because for the first time, an image of ‘real-life’ was captured and shared around the world. -
Developed in the 1830s and 1840s by Samuel Morse and other inventors, the telegraph revolutionized long-distance communication. In addition, Samuel Morse developed a code that assigned a set of dots and dashes to each letter of the English alphabet and allowed for the simple transmission of complex messages across telegraph lines. The widespread use of this device represented a revolution in communication; no longer limiting the speed at which messages could pass between locations. -
The first practical typewriter was completed in September, 1867, although the patent was not issued until June, 1868. The man who was responsible for this invention was Christopher Latham Sholes of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The first commercial model was manufactured in 1873 and was mounted on a sewing machine stand. This was also one of the most significant inventions in history as it brought convenience and productivity to many people, such as writers and office workers. -
The phonograph was developed as a result of Thomas Edison's work on two other inventions, the telegraph and the telephone. In 1877, Edison was working on a machine that would transcribe telegraphic messages through indentations on paper tape, which would later be sent over the telegraph repeatedly. This invention was beneficial as it allowed people to listen to anything whenever, wherever, and as long as they wanted. -
From about 1920 to 1945, radio developed into the first electronic mass medium, monopolizing “the airwaves” and defining, along with newspapers, magazines, and motion pictures, an entire generation of mass culture. Along with other devices, radio played an important role in providing real-time information and updates to listeners, although it was much faster than waiting for the printed newspapers. -
In 1927, at the age of 21, Farnsworth completed the prototype of the first working fully electronic TV system, based on this “image dissector.” He soon found himself embroiled in a long legal battle with RCA, which claimed Zworykin’s 1923 patent took priority over Farnsworth’s inventions. Television is helpful in spreading awareness among people. It contains news, current events, entertainment, and other programs that make the audience aware of other people and their cultures. -
The Internet started in the 1960s as a way for government researchers to share information. The Soviet Union's launch of the Sputnik satellite eventually led to the formation of the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), the network that ultimately evolved into what we now know as the Internet. The Internet has become unavoidable in every aspect of our daily lives, changing the way we communicate with others, search for information, and many more. -
During the 1950s and ’60s, Unisys, International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), and other companies made large, expensive computers of increasing power. They were used by major corporations and government research laboratories as the sole computer in the organization. The use of computers and the internet increases the quality of life in many ways. For instance, in education, students are more open to learning with modern technologies as they increase productivity. -
Ray Tomlinson came up with the idea while working for ARPANET, the government-funded research project that eventually became the internet. Tomlinson created a program that gave users the ability to send messages between connected computers on the ARPANET system. The email impacted society through how people communicate; it reduced the use of traditional mail and provided people with a one-to-many electronic communication. -
The beginning of the Web as a publicly available service on the Internet arrived on August 6, 1991, when Berners-Lee published the first-ever website. Fittingly, the site was about the World Wide Web project, describing the Web and how to use it. The World Wide Web made communication and sharing of information much easier. It allowed people to share and browse through social networking sites, blogs, and other websites. -
The first commercially available device that could be properly referred to as a "smartphone" began as a prototype called "Angler" developed by Canova in 1992 while at IBM and demonstrated in November of that year at the COMDEX computer industry trade show. Smartphones provide people with many apps that are accessible and convenient for doing research, looking up information, communicating and many other benefits, which also save people’s time and effort. -
The emergence of social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and My Space in 2003–2004 marks the beginning of the movement of internet users away from interactive online games and toward social networking sites. With social media, people can interact with others, share pictures and videos, raise awareness, learn new things, and be entertained. It has evolved throughout the years. In today’s society, it is evident that the use of social media has become a necessary part of our daily lives.