-
3800 BCE
Prehistoric age
Cave paintings 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. The exact purpose of the Paleolithic cave paintings is not known. -
2500 BCE
Papyrus in Egypt
Papyrus, writing material of ancient times and also the plant from which it was derived, Cyperus papyrus (family Cyperaceae), also called paper plant. The papyrus plant was long cultivated in the Nile delta region in Egypt and was collected for its stalk or stem, whose central pith was cut into thin strips, pressed together, and dried to form a smooth thin writing surface. -
2400 BCE
Clay tablets in mesopotamia
Most writing from ancient Mesopotamia is on clay tablets. Damp clay was formed into a flat tablet. The writer used a stylus made from a stick or reed to impress the symbols in the clay, then left the tablet in the air to harden. This tablet is marked with symbols showing quantities of barley rations for workers. -
500 BCE
Codex in the Mayan region
Folding books stemming from the preColumbian Maya civilization. These codices
were written in Mayan hieroglyphic script on
Mesoamerican paper, made from the inner
bark of certain trees -
130 BCE
Acta Diurnal in Rome (130 B.C.)
Acta Diurna (Latin: Daily Acts, sometimes translated as Daily Public Records or poetically as Daily Gazette) were daily Roman official notices, a sort of daily gazette.[1] They were carved on stone or metal and presented in message boards in public places such as the Forum of Rome. They also were called simply Acta. In many ways, they functioned like an early newspaper for the Roman citizenry. The Acta were begun in 59 BC and continued until AD 222.[2] -
220
Printing press using wood blocks
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. As a method of printing on cloth, the earliest surviving examples from China date to before 220 AD, and woodblock printing remained the most common East Asian method of printing books and other texts, as well as images, until the 19th century. -
Industrial age ( 1700s-1930s)
Printing press for mass production A printing press is a device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium (such as paper or cloth), thereby transferring the ink. Typically used for texts, the invention and spread of the printing press was one of the most influential events in the second millennium. The printing press was invented in the Holy Roman Empire by the German Johannes Gutenberg around 1440, based on existing screw presses. -
Type writer
A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical machine for writing characters similar to those produced by printer’s movable type. A typewriter operates by means ofkeys that strike a ribbon to transmit ink or carbon impressions onto paper. Typically, a single character is printed on each key press. The machine prints characters by making ink impressions of type elements similar to the sorts used in movable type letterpress printing. -
Telephone
Before the development of the electric telephone, the term “telephone” was applied to other inventions, and not all early researchers of the electrical device called it “telephone”. A communication device for sailing vessels The Telephone was the invention of a captain John Taylor in 1844. This instrument used four air horns to communicate with vessels in foggy weather. -
Motion picture photography/projection
Damoizeau built what has been suggested as the first panoramic camera, which is untrue. The Cyclographe (right) took photographs encompassing a full 360º and was one of the better panoramic cameras of the day. It was a collapsible bellows-camera and contained a pointed punch which would strike and thereby identify each new exposure on the roll prior to its passing before a slit at the shutter. -
Commercial motion pictures
Motion pictures, movie-making as an art and an industry, including its production techniques, its creative artists, and the distribution and exhibition of its products (see also motion picture photography;Motion Picture Cameras under camera). -
Telegraph
Telegraphy (from Greek: têle, “at a distance” and gráphein, “to write”) is the long-distance transmission of textual or symbolic (as opposed to verbal or audio) messages without the physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas pigeon post is not. Telegraphy requires that the method used for encoding the message be known to both sender and receiver. -
Electronic age (1930s-1980s)
Television The first electronic television was invented in the 1920s, but it wasn't until the mid-1930s that television broadcasting became more widespread. The popularity of television grew throughout the 1950s and 60s, becoming a staple in many households. -
ENIAC (The Electronic Numerical calculators
The Electronic Age saw the development of electronic computers, moving away from mechanical and analog systems. The first electronic digital computer, known as the ENIAC, was created in the 1940s. Computer technology continued to advance rapidly throughout the Electronic Age, with the invention of transistors in the 1950s and the development of smaller and more powerful computers -
Transistor
Invented in 1947, transistors revolutionized electronics by replacing vacuum tubes. Transistors were smaller, more reliable, and consumed less power, making them essential components in electronic devices -
Computers and laptops
Computers and laptops are widely used for work, education, entertainment, and communication. They provide a larger screen and more powerful processing capabilities compared to smartphones. -
Tablets
Tablets offer a portable and convenient way to access the internet, read e-books, watch videos, play games, and communicate. They are smaller than laptops but larger than smartphones. -
Digital age
Smartphones Smartphones are handheld devices that allow users to make calls, send messages, access the internet, use various applications, and perform a wide range of tasks. They have become a primary means of communication and interaction for many people. -
Smartwatch
Smartwatches are wearable devices that can connect to smartphones and provide notifications, fitness tracking, and even the ability to make calls or send messages. -
Gaming consoles
Gaming consoles like PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch provide a platform for gaming enthusiasts to interact with virtual worlds, play multiplayer games online, and communicate with other players. -
Smart home device
Devices like smart speakers (e.g., Amazon Echo, Google Home) and smart displays allow users to interact with virtual assistants (such as Alexa or Google Assistant) through voice commands, controlling various aspects of their homes, playing music, and getting information. -
Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, allow users to connect, share updates, photos, videos, and engage in conversations with friends, family, and communities across the globe. -
Smart home automation systems
Smart home automation systems enable users to control various aspects of their homes, such as lighting, temperature, security systems, and appliances, through smartphone apps or voice commands. -
Fitness trackers
Fitness trackers, like Fitbit and Apple Watch, help users monitor their physical activity, heart rate, sleep patterns, and provide personalized health insights. They encourage users to stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle.