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What technology would you give to ancient people just to fuck with them? (lemmy.world)

submitted 19 hours ago by python@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

57 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I'd give laser pointers to Neanderthals. Even if they did figure out some useful application for them (maybe hunting?) they'd run out of batteries eventually.

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[–] Olap@lemmy.world 16 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

Something with gears. Like a cranked egg whisk. Huge amounts of science went into this, but all of it should be replicable in a few generations of experiment with even bronze working. And it should inspire inventors of the age too

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 9 hours ago

Or wood. Mills used wooden peg gears to great effect for a long time.

The bigger challenge is to have enough jobs worth doing with gears to keep craftsmen trained, since making a smooth turning gear by hand is a thing. If this is Rome, there will be, but they already had some knowledge of gears. If it's cavemen there's not a chance.