400,000 Years Ago

400,000 years -- we're only at 2,015 in the "common era". So roughly 398,000 BCE. The Great Pyramid of Giza is from around 2,560 BCE, and Stonehenge is from between 3,000 BCE and 2,000 BCE. The cave paintings at Lascaux are from approximately 15,000 BCE. The earliest musical instruments found, bone flutes (bone survives well in the archaeological record), are about 35,000 years old, that is, from 33,000 BCE (although there is some disagreement about some finds and dates).

200,000 years ago is when we think the first humans -- homo sapiens -- evolved.

400,000 years ago is when homo heidelbergensis, not us but our ancestors, existed. No humans.

And this is a chipped (napped) stone instrument they made, possibly to cut animals apart. And that's me holding it at the British Museum. HOW COOL IS THAT I'LL TELL YOU IT'S VERY COOL.

Lost Things

From the amazing British Museum, here is a 4-5 foot tall staff that apparently humanity just lost track of despite it being perhaps one thousand years old (or at least 700 years old). "Oh that old thing?"

"It was found behind a London solicitor's cupboard in 1850..." BEHIND A CUPBOARD.

Gizmodo Objects Gallery Opening

Currently at Reed Space there is an exhibit of very cool tech objects, courtesy of Gizmodo. Well worth a look if you are in NYC, even though it is a bit out of the way when it comes to the subway.

(Gizmodo event wrap-up.)

Oldest first. Portable typewriter, although based on its looks it could be a modern steampunk interpretation.


A very cool old AT&T protoype videophone. I have a copy of an advertisement with this in it, a man is using it to sell hats, and he's wearing a Mickey Mouse hat, so it looks like he is adjusting antennae on his head.


Apple prototypes -- similar style to the Apple IIc.




Homebrew portable Atari 2600!


TAM! I had never actually seen one before (just pictures), they are fairly rare.


Chumby! My iPhone does most of the same things, though, but I like the idea.


Laser etching! That little light in the photo? Laser! Awesome.

Murakami at the Brooklyn Museum

Brooklyn Museum Murakami page.

France!

Freedom Fries? Nah, they were totally correct about Iraq! Apology Fries is more like it, but the republicans are full of hubris. Anyways, photos:

cafe en un cafe

These were a sample of colors available on ceramic by one manufacturer at the Musee des Arts et Metiers, a must-see Paris technology museum.

very cool: an Apple Lisa with French AZERTY keyboard