Arthur C. Clarke famously said that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Looking around today, from the smartphones in our pockets to the internet that connects us all, it’s easy to feel like we’re surrounded by devices and systems whose inner workings are truly mysterious. But what if this “magic” isn’t so mysterious after all, but rather the result of a long, fascinating journey through history?
A person uses a modern smartphone in a futuristic setting, illustrating the advanced technology of today.
Understanding how today’s incredible technology came to be isn’t just interesting; it can help us appreciate the world around us and even feel more empowered by it. Every device and innovation we use today is built upon layers and layers of previous discoveries and inventions, stretching back centuries, even millennia. Think about your smartphone again – it wouldn’t exist without chemically strengthened glass, the multi-touch screen, and the camera phone. And each of those relied on earlier breakthroughs.
This idea of interconnected innovation is the driving force behind the Historical Tech Tree, an ambitious online project created by writer and programmer Étienne Fortier-Dubois. Inspired partly by the “tech trees” found in strategy games like Sid Meier’s Civilization, and the way one invention can unexpectedly lead to others as explored in James Burke’s classic TV series Connections, this project maps the complex relationships between historical technologies.
Fortier-Dubois shares a concern voiced by Burke decades ago: that our reliance on complex technological systems few people understand can lead to a lack of trust. When everything feels like magic handled only by experts, it’s hard to feel connected or confident in future technological solutions. The Historical Tech Tree aims to provide a clearer picture, showing the roots of modern tech and making it less intimidating.
An intricate historical diagram showing interconnected concepts or inventions, visualizing the evolution of technology.
Exploring the site reveals just how much goes into the devices we take for granted. Fortier-Dubois himself admitted the project highlighted gaps in his own understanding, like realizing electronics involve controlling electrons with vacuum tubes or semiconductors, or that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth use specific radio frequencies detectable by a chip. This site is designed to be a similar eye-opening experience for everyone who visits.
As of this writing, the Historical Tech Tree features 1886 technologies and 2180 connections between them. You can follow fascinating trails, tracing inventions like the mobile radio telephone (1946) back through concepts like the phased array antenna (1905) all the way to ancient glassmaking (around 1500 BC). It’s a visual journey through human ingenuity, showing how we got from stone tools to AI chatbots and mRNA vaccines.
A visual representation of the Historical Tech Tree website, displaying interconnected technology nodes in a network graph.
Spending time on the Historical Tech Tree offers more than just trivia; it provides a new perspective on the world and our place in it. By seeing the long, complex history of technology laid out visually, the “magic” starts to fade, replaced by a deep appreciation for the countless innovators throughout history who built upon each other’s work.
Ready to start mapping the connections yourself? Visit the Historical Tech Tree website to explore how ancient ideas paved the way for modern marvels.
For more historical visualizations, you might also enjoy:
- An Interactive Timeline Covering 14 Billion Years of History: From The Big Bang to 2015
- The Tree of Languages Illustrated in a Big, Beautiful Infographic
- The History of Philosophy Visualized
- The Map of Computer Science: New Animation Presents a Survey of Computer Science, from Alan Turing to “Augmented Reality”
