Question

Why has there been such rapid technological development in recent human history?

Answer 1

The exponential growth of technology is an effect of technology itself. The invention of the wheel had plenty of side effects but only to the extent that other technologies were available to apply it to. Today, almost any technological advancement has hundreds of possible applications, from toys to computers.

Answer 2

When talking about "humans," most equate that with Homo sapiens--the latest phase of human evolution. Homo Sapiens have actually been around between 200,000-250,000 years not 120,000. It took us a long while to migrate out of Africa moving into Europe and Asia in small groups just 40,000 years ago. At this point, we were still butting heads with Neanderthals for dominance. Then a significant glacial age occurred around 12,000 years ago. It was during that age that we began clustering in larger groups allowing for specialization of work which really helped us come out of the glacial age in good shape compared to the Neanderthals. After we eradicated our competition, we took our large groups and proceeded to become decent farmers, not only providing for the entire group but with surplus to boot. So this leads to trading (local economy) and full-fledged cities and eventually wars and countries and more wars. So 8,000 years of these machinations and you finally get some calm periods (maybe 300 years here, 400 years there) and people start doing some real neat things. Don't forget, written language is estimated to be only about 5,000 years old. It took awhile for enough people to become educated well enough to be able to properly communicate abstract concepts and ideas. A lot of credit for getting the ball rolling has to go to the Greeks given their contributions to literature, science and philosophy. And after the Enlightment in the 18th century, the pace of technological development really went exponential. To wit, the number of scientific discoveries made over the past 100 years is greater than ALL previous scientific discoveries spanning thousands of years. In keeping with this exponential growth rate (for better or worse), the scientific discoveries over the next 50 years will easily outstrip all the discoveries in existence today. The more you have, the more you can do.. . And if all of what I just wrote isn't valid (albeit a Reader's Digest version), then I'd go for...alien intervention being the reason...or, wait, how 'bout "young earth creationism"? Hmmm?

Answer 3

You mean 400 years, unless you count China. Religious repression, superstition, a few plagues and Barbarian hordes... it-shay appens-hay.

Answer 4

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

Answer 5

I think what your saying is if the technology lasts for only a short peirod of time. Because if you look at the time scale, the precambrian time was the longest following the dinosaurs which is the second longest and then the tertiary period. humans have been on the earth for a short period of time and technology was very primitive and I mean primitive. The paleolithic revolution used stone tools and the neolithic revolution used metal. it time things arent as complex because most of the tools were meant for agriculture and then for economic uses.

Answer 6

Technological development has become cumulative. Perhaps the most important factors leading to this development are writing and improved mobility. Writing allowed technological developments to be recorded and this greatly facilitated development, by making it unnecessary to re-invent things that have already been invented. And increased mobility meant that different cultures could share and build on the technological advances made by others.

Answer 7

Writing... and then the Printing Press!!

Answer 8

Wheaties