Lost Knowledge

could time traveling suck less?

Several years ago, almost a decade, I started to write a book about basic technologies that everyone should be aware of. Things like how to determine a second, distance, how to make wire, magnets, and so on…

The progress slowed to a halt as I tried to make it perfect and it’s hard to boil down centuries of progress in easy-to-follow form. So, this is the fifth, or that about, attempt to complete it. Maybe this form will force me to finish it. Lets hope.

First off, Introduction. Later posts will get into more details so be sure to subscribe. Thank you!

Introduction

So, you got transported back in time from the 21st century to the stone age of technology. Let’s say, the mid 13th century. There is no electricity, no radio, proper plumbing is a distant memory and the main cure for almost all diseases is bloodletting. As a modern man, you should be able to kickstart the world with dazzling new contraptions and concoctions thus making for yourself a cozy life. So, what do you know?

Do you know how to make basic antibiotics, gunpowder, steel, radio, or electric generator with which you could possibly power any gadgets that made their way with you? Well, most probably you don’t. Listed here will be some base technologies and processes needed to start your own little Industrial revolution. We should start, but will not, with antibiotics because if you die, you can forget about your revolution. Before you get to it you would most likely need to persuade someone that bacteria actually exists and that can only be made by making a microscope, and before that a way of creating lenses, and before that some chemicals, and before that electricity. Don't be alarmed, as you are from the 21st century educational system your basic knowledge of chemistry is low if any. In any uptime chemistry class, you would be told to mix this compound with this solution, filter it with active charcoal, and voila, you got this and that out of that and this. Well, no one ever told you how to get this and that without buying it at your local pharmacy. How do you actually make Potassium nitrate, Ammonia, or Nitric acid without buying them already made? Antibiotics require some tinkering around with basic building blocks of matter, or as we call it uptime, they require knowledge of chemistry and that is why we will not start with antibiotics.

13th century Europe, where you find yourself, is the time of Alchemists. Those poor and delusional early chemists with their laboratories that from time to time would blow up while they distilled the living crap out of everything they could get their hands on. If anyone will have any sympathy for your worthless hide it will be them. And they will have a basic understanding of minerals and equipment you will need to usher in the new age. By no means is this task going to be easy but just remember, you are stuck some 8 centuries from everything you know. For crying out loud, these people think the earth is at the center of the universe, Mongol Empire is at the doors of Europe, the compass is a new invention and the “Dark Ages” are still in living memory. It's also the time of the Crusades, you know, the horse mounted sword wielding brutes?

In the 13th century, there was no concept of atoms, no knowledge of chemical bonds, no knowledge of anything we would call proper knowledge. What you need to understand is that the era you find yourself in is one where knowledge is not something that is highly valued. Out of 118 chemical elements known in time that you left, now, only 10 or 11 are recognized as separate elements. Those elements are gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, tin, mercury, carbon, arsenic, and zinc. Those elements have been discovered so far, so only 108 to go.

This is a large topic, how to start an industrial revolution. So much of our knowledge is interwoven that to create one branch of progress you need another which loops back to the one that is to be created. Next to bare bone explanations, there will be needed to brush up on some formulas. Both from chemistry, mathematics, and physics. If you don't find them useful, someone down there sure will. This is why there is a whole section of basic chemistry. Also, as explained, there will be no deep explanations why something happens or why it is as it is. But, there will be enough information to encourage exploration. For example, one of the first topics that will be discussed are batteries. There will be a brief explanation of the Barton pot process of creating lead monoxide, and how to create a red lead. Now, there is no reason why those processes can not be combined. Just remember, anything you cook up in your alchemist pal lab, do not breath it in or eat it as most chemicals are not that compatible with your body.

If you have any do-it-yourself experience it should not take you long to figure out how something can be built as there will not be any long and detailed descriptions. If not, the best I can tell you is good luck and have a nice trial and error session building it. Don’t worry, as you will have to build everything yourself you will get a lot of practice and things will get easier and easier to understand and build.

Do we start with petrol and internal combustion engines, or do we make the leap and start directly with electrical engines? Is medicine more important than war making and staying free? Do we continue along the easier path of progress or take a shortcut to future technologies paired with large time penalties due to development problems?

Well, first we have to make sure you survive your first encounter with the natives. There is one thing that you have and always carry with you but the natives lack or are in bad repair. Your teeth. Show them your best smile and maybe you will live to see another day when you can make use of the information contained within these covers. On the other hand, if they show too much interest in your teeth, run, run like the wind as they will create dentures out of them with you still alive.