Are there any overdue discoveries ?

[Chriss]

Hello,

I was wandering if there are discoveries that did not come at the right time(zeitgeist) but much later ?

If you know some examples ?

[Strange]

What is "the right time"? And how would you recognize it (to know if a discovery were late)?

[ajb]

With hindsight there are many things that could have been discovered earlier. For example, all the roots of special relativity and gauge theory are in Maxwell's equations. However, we do not credit Maxwell as discovering special relativity.

[Phi for All]

There are things that were discovered before there was a practical application for them. Iirc, the steam engine was invented before there was a mechanical method to convert it's energy into work.

[Strange]

When I was young the laser was described as a technology looking for an application. Now they are everywhere.

[Ophiolite]

Wegener proposed continental drift in the early 1910s and Holmes proposed a plausible mechanism in 1927 or 1928, but it was not until the late 1960s that plate tectonics was generally accepted.

[John Cuthber]

"What do we want: time travel!"
"When do we want it: it doesn't really matter!"

[Phi for All]

I was in Germany around 18 years ago when I saw a news report about someone who'd figured out how to make a plastic that could store its own solar power. I remember them talking about how it would revolutionize the toy industry, because you could make electric toys (like little cars) that would run as long as there was light, and there bodies would be the batteries.

 

Since I never heard about that plastic again, I assumed either we lacked other ways of exploiting it fully, or Energizer bought the patent and it will never see the light of day again.

[Moontanman]

There is the example of the so called Baghdad battery.

[Ophiolite]

There is the example of the so called Baghdad battery.

Evidence that even then the people of Baghdad were working on Weapons of Mass Destruction

[Moontanman]

Evidence that even then the people of Baghdad were working on Weapons of Mass Destruction

 

I have read "someplace" that is could have been used to plate gold onto "base" metals, too sick right now to look it up...

[Strange]

Wegener proposed continental drift in the early 1910s and Holmes proposed a plausible mechanism in 1927 or 1928, but it was not until the late 1960s that plate tectonics was generally accepted.

 

The big bang model parallels that remarkable closely.

[overtone]

The invention of the keel, allowing a sailing ship to tack upwind, was long delayed.

 

Likewise the discovery of hydrogen and its uses as a lifting gas (or ballooning in general).

 

As far as discoveries awaiting us: the domestication, or at least husbandry, of some major ocean dwelling animal is long overdue. It would be kind of a tragedy if, like the reds in North America with the horses etc, we killed them off before we learned to ride them or herd them.

[ajb]

As far as discoveries awaiting us: the domestication, or at least husbandry, of some major ocean dwelling animal is long overdue.

Riding dolphins I am not so sure about. I mean what would be the porpoise of that?

[Ophiolite]

Riding dolphins I am not so sure about. I mean what would be the porpoise of that?

You could have a whale of a time.

[Phi for All]

You could have a whale of a time.

 

Or cavort with seals! You otter try it!

[EdEarl]

Got no pun.

 

Archimedes may have invented calculus circa 200BC if a Roman soldier had not killed him during while sacking Syracuse. Instead, Newton did it about 1665, over 1800 years later. It is conceivable that all science would be more advanced. Maybe it happened in another universe, but we cannot know what might have been.

[Chriss]

What the world would be like today if Volta never existed ? Would the battery be invented by someone else ?

[Ophiolite]

What the world would be like today if Volta never existed ? Would the battery be invented by someone else ?

Absolutely and definitely. Many of the supposed inventors of technology were simply the last in a series of experimenters who made took the final crucial step, or who were better at promoting their invention. Knowledge advances to a point where the next step could be taken by almost anyone with the intellect and the interest. Chance plays a large part in determining who, but rarely any part in determining if.

[Moontanman]

The invention of the keel, allowing a sailing ship to tack upwind, was long delayed.

 

Likewise the discovery of hydrogen and its uses as a lifting gas (or ballooning in general).

 

As far as discoveries awaiting us: the domestication, or at least husbandry, of some major ocean dwelling animal is long overdue. It would be kind of a tragedy if, like the reds in North America with the horses etc, we killed them off before we learned to ride them or herd them.

 

 

An old science fiction story from the "golden Years" of science fiction was about farming blue whales for their milk, underwater milking submarines... yeah I know... whales and cows, where have we heard that before?

[Strange]

I don't want to diss the Dre, but how is recording a song a "discovery"? And what does it have to do with science?

Absolutely and definitely. Many of the supposed inventors of technology were simply the last in a series of experimenters who made took the final crucial step, or who were better at promoting their invention. Knowledge advances to a point where the next step could be taken by almost anyone with the intellect and the interest. Chance plays a large part in determining who, but rarely any part in determining if.

 

Similarly, a number of other people were working on the same ideas as Einstein before he published the theory of special relativity. It would have been published in a few years without him.

 

And, of course, Wallace and Grommit Darwin both came up with evolution by natural selection at the same time.

[EdEarl]

 

Ideas... [are] like babies - everything about their environment [says] they shouldn't exist. But they do. You can't dwell on problems too early, or they will swamp the virtues and you will decide not to do the project.

(Attributed to Mike Jones)

[Sensei]

 

As far as discoveries awaiting us: the domestication, or at least husbandry, of some major ocean dwelling animal is long overdue.

Riding dolphins I am not so sure about. I mean what would be the porpoise of that?

 

Military dolphin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_dolphin

Dolphins were/are trained to listen device attached to them (turn left, turn right etc), commands send by radio.

After attaching explosives to them, was meant to be used to destroy enemy ships quietly.. or to cause explosion/detection of mines..

Edited February 11, 2016 by Sensei

[swansont]

!

Moderator Note

The OT Dr Dre discussion has been split off to the trash can. Don't bring us claims you can't substantiate, and let's remember this is a science discussion.

[Chriss]

Why was the writing invented Mesopotamia around 3200 BC and in Mesoamerica only in 600 BC, with a 2600 years difference ?