Communication is the best way to get messages to anyone and everyone. Without these evolutions of communication, where would we be?
10. Pantomime
Acting out different things or events was essential to pre-verbal communication. It has developed into forms like theater, ballet, and silent films. It also gave rise to Charades.
9. Pens and Pencils
The discovery that charred wood could leave a mark would later come in handy. The use of pencils and pens is what allowed us to convey ideas to deepen our understanding of the world.
8. Paper
Writing instruments need a surface to write on. As paper became popular, ideas could be written down and transported.
7. Alphabet
A system of symbols was needed to understand others through written and verbal means. These organized collections of characters varied by culture. Consider the various alphabets we use today like Braille, Morse code, sign language and more.
6. Cave Paintings
Some of these early versions of communication exist to this day and offer a brief glimpse into the lives of early humans. They are also the forerunners of other visual forms, including frescoes, watercolor, PowerPoint, and even TikTok.
5. Typewriter
Imagine the acceleration of ideas that this 19th-century invention made possible. This complex machine revolutionized how writers, journalists, and corporate communicators put their thoughts down on paper. This invention is what made the word processor and the computer keyboard possible.
4. Radio & Television
The principle of turning radio waves into telegraphic messaging, the transmission of sound—and later images—is what made it possible for communication to span across large distances. Satellites also expanded the reach of communication for us.
3. Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg’s invention made mass production and distribution of printed works possible. It helped educate huge swaths of the world population. Books, magazines and newspapers all were made possible by this brilliant invention.
2. Internet
We have ever-expanding stores of information at our fingertips. We can send emails or text messages halfway around the world in an instant. We can swiftly spread news or warnings of potential disaster to anyone in the world.
1. Delete Key
The delete key revolutionized the eraser. This is what allows us to edit writing in a flash. This keeps us from sending in an error-riddled paper or a risky text message.
The act of communication has changed immensely through the centuries. Without these innovations, communication would be obsolete. Communication is what brings us together as a society.