We, humans, like to think of ourselves as master tool builders- and certainly, as we stand at the threshold of the wonders of the 21st century, we have much to be proud of. But we are really the heritors of a long tradition of life, in all its forms, fashioning tools from lifeless materials born long ago in the hearts of massive stars. So here’s a brief history of technology, from 4 billion years ago to the beginnings of the modern age.
4 Billion Years Ago
Primitive metabolic assemblages begin to use nucleic acids as biological software storage and transmission system.
![history of technology](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-1.jpg)
2 Billion Years Ago
Eukaryotes evolve- a new form of life in which separate organismal domains cooperate as ‘living tools.’
![history of technology](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-2.jpg)
570 Million Years Ago
First organisms to use mineralized shells appear.
![history of technology](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-3.jpg)
500 Million Years Ago
Giant sea scorpions use empty shells as ‘aerolungs’ to move onto land.
![history of technology](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-4.jpg)
3.3 Million Years Ago
Ancient hominins on the shores of Lake Turkana begin using Oldowan stone tools
![history of technology](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-5.jpg)
1.7 Million Years Ago
Later species of hominins begin experimenting with the Acheulean toolmaking technique- typically large, bifacial handaxes
![](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-6.jpg)
1.5 Million Years Ago
Possible date of earliest fire used by East African hominins (Homo ergaster). Cooking, in turn, spurs the further growth of cognitive evolution
![history of technology](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-7.jpg)
500,000 Years Ago
Oldest known fabricated human structure- the ‘Chichibu Shelter’ in Japan, likely a temporary hut constructed by Homo erectus populations.
![history of technology](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-8.jpg)
400,000 Years Ago
The ’Schöningen Spears’ in Germany- first known wooden spears.
![history of technology](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-9.jpg)
100,000- 70,000 Years Ago
Use of some of the earliest abstract symbols and art, from material found in Blombos Cave in South Africa.
![](http://i0.wp.com/themindcircle.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/history-of-technology-10.jpg)