Useless but fun speculation of the day: If you were suddenly transported back to the 12th century, what useful modern inventions could you re-create, using only then-current technology, or technologies you made from then-current technology?
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Replying to @asymmetricinfo
Radio transmission. Calculus and a bunch of mathematical concepts (math around probability). The concept of heating water to make steam to do work. I'd say penicillin from bread mold but don't have a command of the details.
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Replying to @CovfefeAnon @asymmetricinfo
Bro, coffee! How could you not mention this?
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Replying to @bugdad666 @asymmetricinfo
Plant from subtropical Africa and SE Asia. An absurd number of techs needed to get to those places and not die of tropical disease.
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Replying to @CovfefeAnon @asymmetricinfo
I’m skeptical. I think the only reason sub Sahara wasn’t touched by conquest was that there was nothing worth looting.
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Replying to @bugdad666 @asymmetricinfo
Malaria and yellow fever are no joke. On top of that you have hostile natives and your war making capacity only extends about a day's march away from rivers ... on your own continent. Forget it. You need centuries more technology.
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Replying to @CovfefeAnon @asymmetricinfo
Good point. Trade is also an option though. Plus I think even the Romans had some slaves from south of the Sahara. I think by the 12th century the disease problem could have been overcome. I mean coffee started getting popular in the 15th century, not that much later tech wise.
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>Plus I think even the Romans had some slaves from south of the Sahara Mary Beard style lies to justify the insanity of "well the Roman legions were black". No significant numbers. The coasts became accessible when sail tech and logistics tech improved.
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