Author Topic: If you could tell the ancients one thing...  (Read 5912 times)

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Offline TigerHunter

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If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« on: September 08, 2012, 01:35:51 am »
Hello, I'm trying to find a series of interviews where scientists in their field were asked what they thought would be the most important thing for ancient peoples to know. I think one of them said that matter is made of atoms, other than that I don't remember anything about it.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, feel free to supply your own answer.

Mine would be: "Disease is caused by tiny creatures that are too small to see. You can avoid letting them into your body by washing yourself regularly, boiling water and cooking food, avoiding contact with sick people and their waste, and cleaning wounds with alcohol."

Offline JohnE

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2012, 03:02:48 am »
That was actually my first thought upon seeing the thread title.

Offline SpaceProg

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2012, 03:31:36 am »
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  Do no harm, lest ye do what you will.   Love your neighbour as thyself.

Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #3 on: September 08, 2012, 03:36:58 am »
I'd probably say something like...

"Trees are good.  They keep the planet healthy.  When you cut down a tree, plant another."

And implore them to keep that practice going down all the way to the modern age.

I wish I could tell them a second thing, but I can only tell them one thing :(
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Offline Vypernight

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #4 on: September 08, 2012, 05:20:31 am »
Shoot to kill anyone who approaches the Library of Alexandria with anything that can cause a fire. 
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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2012, 07:43:37 am »
"your balls are showing"
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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2012, 07:48:55 am »
"Snape kills Dumbledore."
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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2012, 04:58:50 pm »
Speak English.
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Offline Veras

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2012, 05:35:32 am »
The scientific method and why it is important.
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Offline Cataclysm

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2012, 04:08:01 pm »
Hello, I'm trying to find a series of interviews where scientists in their field were asked what they thought would be the most important thing for ancient peoples to know. I think one of them said that matter is made of atoms, other than that I don't remember anything about it.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, feel free to supply your own answer.

Mine would be: "Disease is caused by tiny creatures that are too small to see. You can avoid letting them into your body by washing yourself regularly, boiling water and cooking food, avoiding contact with sick people and their waste, and cleaning wounds with alcohol."

I would tell them to get filthy as possible to build immunity.
I'd be more sympathetic if people here didn't act like they knew what they were saying when they were saying something very much wrong.

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Offline TigerHunter

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2012, 06:40:35 pm »
Hello, I'm trying to find a series of interviews where scientists in their field were asked what they thought would be the most important thing for ancient peoples to know. I think one of them said that matter is made of atoms, other than that I don't remember anything about it.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, feel free to supply your own answer.

Mine would be: "Disease is caused by tiny creatures that are too small to see. You can avoid letting them into your body by washing yourself regularly, boiling water and cooking food, avoiding contact with sick people and their waste, and cleaning wounds with alcohol."

I would tell them to get filthy as possible to build immunity.
When they're young. The elderly should stay as clean as possible.

Offline R. U. Sirius

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #11 on: September 10, 2012, 09:48:05 am »
I would tell them about meditation and non-violent problem solving.
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Offline Witchyjoshy

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #12 on: September 10, 2012, 06:26:06 pm »
I would tell them about meditation and non-violent problem solving.

...I'd hope you'd also teach them the necessity of self-defense when necessary, because otherwise, they're gonna get curbstomped the moment the nearest tribe decides a violent takeover would be fun :P
Mockery of ideas you don't comprehend or understand is the surest mark of unintelligence.

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Offline davedan

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #13 on: September 10, 2012, 06:43:43 pm »
How ancient are we talking?

The OP was good - I was going to tell about microbes and disinfectant.

Steam power.

Offline TigerHunter

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Re: If you could tell the ancients one thing...
« Reply #14 on: September 10, 2012, 07:14:31 pm »
Steam power.
Funnily enough, the Greeks figured out steam power, they just never adapted it for practical use. One theory is that slave labor was so cheap and plentiful that steam wasn't practical for the time.