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40,000 BCE
First cremation and first cave paintings
In Australia the first cremation was found, and cave paintings found in Spain and Indonesia have been dated back to be the oldest cave paintings in the world -
35,000 BCE
First instrument
The first instrument, a flute, was found in Germany. This invention would lead to music was a major step in humans expressing themselves. -
13,000 BCE
Agriculture
Evidence of agriculture was found around the world, and would soon be one of the most important discoveries ever. -
11,000 BCE
Domestication of animals
The first evidence of the domestication of animals was found in Southwest Asia -
7000 BCE
First known fermentation of alchohol
In various parts of the world, particularly China, alcohol has been found to be distilled and fermented. -
4000 BCE
First ever wheel
The earliest evidence of wheels was discovered in Central Europe, both for transport and potter's wheels. -
3500 BCE
First domesticated horse
The first evidence of domesticated horses was found in Eastern Asia, mostly where modern day Kazakhstan lies. -
3000 BCE
Earliest depiction of writing
The first evidence of written words and language was found in Mesopotamia, now known as Iraq -
3000 BCE
First papyrus
This discovery of papyrus in Egypt will soon lead to paper being used all over the world, allowing for books and texts being available to be made. -
2000 BCE
Earliest historical evidence of coins, glass and chariots
In Lydia(modern day Lebanon), Egypt and Russia, the earliest evidence of glass, coins and chariots have been found in each of the three countries respectively. -
Period: 2000 BCE to
Discoveries throughout history
By Paul Bui and Chris(Seungmin) Jung -
700 BCE
First ever lighthouse
The earliest evidence of a lighthouse has been found in Egypt -
500 BCE
Earliest historical findings of cast iron
The first evidence of cast iron were found in Ancient China, found in a tomb. -
400 BCE
Gears are found
The first gears are found in Ancient China, used in an ancient crank which scientists believe was used to pull out water from a well -
300 BCE
First use of medicine
Mandragora (containing atropin) was described by Theophrastus in the fourth century B.C. for treatment of wounds, gout, and sleeplessness, and as a love potion. It was quickly discovered to be an anaesthetic, as well as as a sleeping drug. -
202 BCE
Ancient paper making artifacts and paper
Ancient wrapping paper and padding have been found in China, as well as evidence of pulp papermaking processes -
150 BCE
Discovery of how tides are affected
Seleucus of Seleucia discovers that tides are caused by the moon -
118 BCE
First wheelbarrow
The first wheelbarrow was found in a tomb in China, dating back to the Han dynasty -
150
Model of solar system
Ptolemy of Greece produced the geocentric model of the solar system where all other planets, and the sun, revolve around the Earth -
618
First ever banknote
The first ever bank note was found in China, dating back to the Tang dynasty. They were used as receipt of deposit between merchants. -
650
First windmill
The first windmill was found in Persia, allowing grain to be processed efficiently, allowing it to be one of the most eaten foodstuffs in the world -
761
First historical use of gunpowder
The first evidence of the use of gunpowder was found in China in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period -
1031
First ever ambulance
The first ever historical depiction of ambulances was found in Palestine and Lebanon, used by the crusaders -
1119
Mariner's compass found
The first ever mariner's compass, using a magnetised needle, was found in China, dating back to the Song dynasty. It was depicted as a magnetised needle floating in a bowl of water. -
1200
First rocket
The first evidence of rockets, for military and recreational uses, date back to at least 13th century China. -
1282
First ever eyeglasses
The first eyeglasses were found in Italy -
1416
First spring
The first ever coil spring was invented in Europe -
1439
Printing press invention
The first ever printing press was invented in the Holy German Empire, in Mainz, using screw presses. It was first used in a lawsuit against Gutenberg -
1456
First ever rifle
The first made rifle was found in Europe, which shot a tiny iron pellet. -
1577
First ever newspaper
The first ever newspaper was used in Korea -
Invention of telescope
The telescope was first used in the Netherlands, where it quickly spread. It consisted of a lens and a tube, which magnified all images viewed from it. -
Discovery of workings of circulatory system
William Harvey, an English scientist, discovered the way blood circulation takes nutrience and oxygen around the body. -
FIrst ever piano
The first ever piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori in Italy -
First ever steam engine
Thomas Newcomen builds the first commercial steam engine to pump water out of mines, using a piston. -
First refrigerator
William Cullen invents the world's first artificial refrigeration device. -
First telegraph
In France, Claude Chappe invents the modern semaphore telegraph. -
First vaccine
Edward Jenner develops the first successful vaccine, the smallpox vaccine, which went on to save countless lives -
Discovery of morphine
Friedrich Sertürner discovers Morphine as the first active alkaloid extracted from the opium poppy plant in December 1804 by extracting the latex from the poppy pods/ -
First computer
Charles Babbage, considered the "father of the computer", begins building the first programmable mechanical computer. -
Invention of morse code
American painter Samuel Morse invents Morse code. -
First telephone invented
Scottish born inventor Alexander Graham Bell has a patent granted for the telephone. However, other inventors before Bell had worked on the development of the telephone and the invention had several pioneers. -
First lightbulb invented
English inventor Joseph Swan and American Thomas Edison both patent a functional Incandescent light bulb. Some two dozen inventors had experimented with electric incandescent lighting over the first three-quarters of the 19th century but never came up with a practical design. -
First ever petrol-fuelled car invented
German engineer Karl Benz invents the first petrol or gasoline powered auto-mobile. There had been, in the past, steam powered cars, however, Karl Benz's ran more efficiently and more powerfully than all others. -
First broadcast
The first instantaneous transmission of images, or television broadcast, is carried out by Georges Rignoux and A. Fournier in Paris -
Penicillin is discovered
Penicillin is first observed to exude antibiotic substances by Nobel laureate Alexander Fleming. He discovered the substance to be able to help with infections. -
First commercial handheld telephone
The first commercially available cell phone, the DynaTAC 8000X, is created by Motorola, and American telecommunications company -
World Wide Web introduced
The World Wide Web is first introduced to the public by English engineer and computer scientist Sir Tim Berners-Lee