Technological Innovations
Scenarios exploring how different technological developments or their timing might have changed history
What If Early Modern Civilizations Harnessed Steam Power More Effectively?
Exploring how world history would have unfolded if various civilizations had developed practical steam power technologies in the early modern period, centuries before the Industrial Revolution.
What If Japan Industrialized During the Edo Period?
Exploring how world history would have unfolded if Japan had undergone an industrial revolution during the Edo Period (1603-1868), centuries before its actual modernization in the Meiji era.
What If Benjamin Franklin's Electrical Experiments Led to Earlier Applications?
Exploring how world history would have unfolded if Benjamin Franklin's electrical discoveries had been immediately applied to practical technologies, potentially triggering an earlier electrical revolution.
What If Chinese Astronomy Developed the Telescope Independently?
Exploring how world history would have unfolded if Chinese astronomers had invented the telescope during the Ming Dynasty, potentially revolutionizing science and altering the balance of global power.
What If the Antikythera Mechanism Was Widely Replicated?
Exploring how ancient technology and scientific understanding might have advanced if the sophisticated Antikythera Mechanism had become common technology, potentially triggering an early mechanical revolution.
What If Andean Textile Techniques Spread Globally?
Exploring how world textile traditions might have evolved if the sophisticated weaving methods of ancient Andean civilizations had reached other continents before European contact, potentially transforming global textile production and design.