GregorDeVillain

Because in truth, had there been no Gutenberg, the printing press would have been discovered in (or imported to) Europe - eventually. Would it have been five years later? 10 years later? 100 years later? Impossible to know. But, we should think, eventually, it would have been. Yet there are interesting cases from history. We know of five different modes of human stone tool-making that pre-date the Neolithic (the New Stone Age). They are: The Oldowan Industry. Simple core form rocks, used for things like chopping. Oldowan tools emerged 2.6 million years ago, devised by either Homo habilis or Homo erectus in Northern Africa. The Acheulean Industry. Biface rock tools, with more complex design than Oldowan tools. The axe is the most notable example of this type of tool. Acheulean tools first date to 1.76 million years ago, devised by Homo erectus in Western and Southern Africa. The Mousterian Industry. Fine-pointed rock tools that may have relied on greater grip strength to create. Mousterian tools date to 315,000 years ago, devised by Neanderthal man in Europe. The Aurignacian Industry. Fine bladed stone tools, along with worked bone and antler points, struck from prepared cores rather than crude flakes. Aurignacian tools have been found throughout Europe and the Levant, and are believed to have emerged in the Levant around 43,000 years ago. The Microlithic Industry. Microliths were small stones used in composite tools, fastened to a haft. They were devised in Europe and the Levant about 35,000 years ago. Now here's something to think about. We know how invention works. It is rarely (or never) collaborative across an entire society; an entire society does not invent something. Instead, one man comes up with an idea, and either builds it himself, or sets off a chain of competitors who race to be the first to build the thing (in which case you have the collaboration of the guy who proposes the idea, a few guys who try to build it, and one or more who actually suc