1.1 - EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION - STONE AGE TO MODERN AGE

Summary

The video, led by hosts Joy and Jennifer, embarks on an intriguing journey tracing the history of human communication, starting from the Stone Age. They explore ancient methods like cave drawings, smoke signals, and homing pigeons, leading up to the revolutionary invention of telegraphy and radio. The video highlights how each method contributed to the progress of communication systems, eventually leading to the modern telephone system. This historical overview is a precursor to upcoming discussions on how communication evolved from wired to wireless and the role of government and private sectors in this development.

Highlights

• Starting with cave gatherings and drawings - the first social networks and blogs! 🔥
• Smoke signals traveled miles, warning of danger like ancient tweets. 🚬
• The story of Cher Ami, a heroic pigeon in WWI, highlights avian message delivery. 🕊️
• Ravens vs. pigeons: a nod to Game of Thrones and real history. 🐦 vs. 🐦‍⬛
• Pony Express riders blazed trails for modern courier services. 🚴‍♂️
• Semaphore flags signaled across seas long before digital screens. 🚩
• Morse code electric telegraphy launched a new era of instant communication. ✉️
• From Maxwell to Marconi, radio waves found their voice. 🎙️
• Alexander Graham Bell's telephone bridged continents, laying groundwork for modern connectivity. 📱

Key Takeaways

• Cave drawings: the first form of 'blogging'. 🖼️
• Smoke signals, the ancient form of long-distance communication. 🚭
• Pigeons were once vital communicators in wartime! 🐦
• The Pony Express - the start of mail services on horseback. 🐎
• Semaphore flags used for maritime communication. 🚢
• Telegraphy marked a revolutionary turn with electric signals. ⚡
• Radio waves became a major breakthrough in the 20th century. 📻
• Telephones, initially a luxury, became a global necessity. 📞

Overview

This entertaining video hosted by Joy and Jennifer takes us on a sweeping journey through the evolution of communication, dating back to the Stone Age. Starting with our ancient ancestors, the cavemen, who used gatherings and cave drawings to communicate, the duo compares these primitive forms to modern-day social networking and blogging. Their light-hearted comparison aptly underscores the timeless human need to share information and stories.

As the discussion progresses, the hosts bring to life the fascinating methods developed for long-distance communication. From smoke signals, which translated into ancient warning systems, to pigeons, which delivered messages during war times, each method reveals an era's innovative spirit. Their anecdote about Cher Ami, a pigeon war hero, adds a touch of historical fun to the narrative.

The story of communication technology culminates with the telegraph, radio, and telephone. Each breakthrough is portrayed not only as a technical marvel but a societal upheaval, changing how human connection worked across distances. It's a visually expressive and engaging overview, setting the stage for future explorations into wireless technology and global communications networks.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction In the introduction, the speakers Joy and Jennifer welcome the audience to a session on communication, highlighting its evolution through history and emphasizing its role in distinguishing humans from animals. The journey begins with the communication methods of cavemen.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Caveman Communication and Inscribing The chapter compares the communication methods of cavemen with modern social networking and blogging. Cavemen communicated around fires similar to how people interact on social media platforms like Facebook. They then began inscribing on cave walls, akin to blogging. However, this method was localized, and as mobility increased, the need for long-distance communication became evident.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Smoke Signals The chapter 'Smoke Signals' explores the history and use of smoke signals as a method of long distance communication. It highlights how different tribes in Northern America employed their own unique signalling systems with smoke to indicate danger. Additionally, it delves into how ancient Chinese soldiers stationed at the Great Wall used smoke signals to communicate threats efficiently across vast distances, reaching up to 750 kilometers in just a few hours. The chapter also notes that smoke signalling is still in use today in the Vatican.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Use of Pigeons and Raven This chapter explores the historical use of pigeons and ravens in communications. Pigeons, known for their homing abilities, have been employed across various cultures, including Persians, Romans, Greeks, and Mughals, for long-distance message delivery. In the 19th century, they played a role in transmitting stock market information between cities. A notable pigeon named Cher Ami was recognized with the French War Cross for her contributions during World War I.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Pony Express The chapter titled 'Pony Express' discusses historical methods of communication, highlighting the transition from human messengers and pigeons to more advanced systems. It draws a comparison with the TV series Game of Thrones, which depicts the use of ravens for long distance communication. The focus is on the Pony Express, a revolutionary mail service in the mid-19th Century that used relay stations and horseback riders to deliver messages, mails, newspapers, and small packages across the East and West Coasts of America, marking it as the first of its kind courier service.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Semaphore Flags and Maritime Communication The chapter discusses the use of semaphore flags in maritime communication in the late 19th century. It explains that semaphore, derived from Greek words meaning 'sign bearer,' is a telegraphy system that conveys information over distance using visual signals with hand-held flags, rods, and disks. Semaphore flags are still used during operations like underway replenishment at sea and serve as an acceptable mode of communication during emergencies.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Telegraph and Electric Telegraphy The chapter discusses the evolution and impact of telegraphy as a communication method. It outlines the historical context, mentioning earlier forms of telegraphy such as smoke signals and semaphore flags. The focus then shifts to the significant advancement made in the late 19th century with the development of electric telegraphy, highlighting the introduction of Morse code as a widely used communication system. The chapter also notes the prominence of telegraphy as the leading form of long-distance communication until recent decades, with the United States ceasing its use in 2006.
• 03:30 - 04:00: The Dawn of Radio This chapter, titled 'The Dawn of Radio,' opens by noting the end of India's BSNL owned telegraph service in 2013, marking the close of the world's last true electric commercial telegraph system. The narrative then shifts to the origins of radio, highlighting the Latin root of the word 'radio,' meaning 'beam of light.' The text delves into the scientific underpinnings of radio technology, starting with James Clerk Maxwell's 1864 demonstration that electromagnetic waves could travel through empty space. Despite prior observations of electromagnetic effects, it wasn't until 1886 that Heinrich Hertz successfully established the existence of these waves, paving the way for the development of radio technology.
• 04:00 - 04:30: Early 20th Century Radio Developments The chapter discusses the key developments in early 20th-century radio technology, highlighting significant contributions by scientists such as Jagadish Chandra Bose and Guglielmo Marconi. Bose demonstrated the transmission of signals using microwave technology, while Marconi's experiments with electric bells marked the inception of distant communication through radio waves. These innovations paved the way for modern wireless communication.
• 04:30 - 05:00: Invention and Evolution of Telephone The chapter "Invention and Evolution of Telephone" explores the evolution of communication technologies in the early 20th century. It highlights how the radio system initially used continuous waves for message transmission and how amplitude modulation, though demonstrated, had limited success for voice and music transmission. The chapter underscores the significant impact of the World Wars on technological advancements, noting that World War 1 spurred radio development for military communications, while World War 2 further enhanced communication tech for both aircraft and land. The period post-World War 1 saw the onset of commercial radio broadcasting, which became hugely popular by 1920.
• 05:00 - 05:30: Expansion of Telephone Networks The chapter titled 'Expansion of Telephone Networks' discusses the historical development and initial limitations of telephone communications. It highlights that prior to the advent of the telephone, real-time communication was primarily used for diplomatic or broadcasting purposes. Telegrams were the most popular mode of fast, one-to-one communication among the general populace. The invention of the telephone by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876 marked a significant milestone in communication technology. Initially, telephone exchanges were not utilized; instead, telephones were rented out in pairs to subscribers, who had to rely on telegraph contractors to install the necessary connections.
• 05:30 - 06:00: Conclusion and Transition to Modern Communication The chapter explores the evolution of telecommunication with a focus on the transition from telegraph networks to the public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN). Initially, telephones were luxury items accessible only to the wealthy, as each had to be directly wired to another. However, the development of local exchanges allowed telephones to connect more efficiently, eventually leading to a global network that connects individual homes and businesses across continents. This hierarchical connectivity laid the foundation for modern communication as we know it.

1.1 - EVOLUTION OF COMMUNICATION - STONE AGE TO MODERN AGE Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Hi freinds, I am Joy and i am Jennifer. welcome to the world of communication. So today we are going to show you the Evolution of Communication. What differentiate us human from animals is the way we communicate with each other. Here we will show you a brief history of how communication system evolved. The whole journey of communication started with the caveman. The cavemen used to gather
• 00:30 - 01:00 around fire to discuss their day to day activities. We can compare this to modern day social networking sites such as facebook. The one sudden day they decided to record their activities or knowledge. The cavemen then started to inscribing on the the caves. We can compare this to modern day blogging. The problem with this communication method was it was localised. When people started moving out of the caves, long distance communication became very important.
• 01:00 - 01:30 Smoke Signal This was the first long distance communication. It was used in Northern America where each tribe has its own signalling system. A smoke from top of the hill signified danger. Smoke signal was also used in Ancient China. The soldiers stationed at the Great Wall would alert for danger using smoke signal from tower to tower. In this way they could transmit message as far as 750km within a few hours. The smoke signal is still used in Vatican
• 01:30 - 02:00 to indicate the selection of new Pope. Pigeons Due to their natural homing ability pigeons were extensively used for long distance communication. The Pigeons were used by Persians, Romans, Greeks, Mughals. In 19th Century Pigeons were also used to transmit stock quotations from one city to another. Cher Ami, a homing pigeon, was awarded the French War Cross for her services during world war 1.
• 02:00 - 02:30 TV series Game of Thrones has shown the use of Raven instead of pigeon for long distance communication. Pony Express From ancient time Kings have been using human messenger to relay messages. Pony express was a first of its kind mail service delivering messages, mails, newspapers and small packages by horseback using small relay stations. It is regarded as the first courier service. It was used in the mid 19th Century to communicate between East Coast and West Coast of America.
• 02:30 - 03:00 Semaphore Flag Semaphore flag was used in maritime during the late 19th century. The word semaphore is derived from greek word sema meaning sign and phero meaning bearer. It is the telegraphy system conveying information at a distance by means of visual signals with hand-held flags, rods and disk. It is still used during underway replenishment at sea and is acceptable mode of communication for emergency.
• 03:00 - 03:30 Telegraph Telegraphy was the greatest breakthrough in the field of communication. Although the smoke signal and semaphore flags were different form of telegraphy but the harnessing of electricity in the late 19th Century gave birth to electric telegraphy. Morse code is still used globally as a mode of communication. Till a couple of decades ago Telegraphy was the most popular form of long distance communication. The US discontinued the use of Telegraph in 2006.
• 03:30 - 04:00 India's BSNL owned telegraph service ended in 2013. It was reportedly the world's last existing true electric commercial telegraph system. RADIO - The term Radio in latin means Beam of light. In 1864 James Clerk Maxwell showed mathematically that electromagnetic waves could propagate through free space. The effects of electromagnetic waves were observed before and after Maxwell but no one could detect its presence. In 1886 Heinrich Hertz established the existence of
• 04:00 - 04:30 Electromagnetic Waves. In 1888 he demonstrated that one could produce and detect electromagnetic waves which we today call as radio waves. In November 1894 Jagadish Chandra Bose at Town Hall of Kolkata ignited gunpowder and rang a bell kept at a distance using microwave. During the same time an Italian Scientist Guglielmo Marconi made an electric bell which went off during lightning. This was just the beginning of a whole new era of distant communication.
• 04:30 - 05:00 Early 20th century radio system transmitted message using continuous waves only. Amplitude modulation was demonstrated for the transmission of voice and music but with little success. World War 1 accelerated the development of radio for military communication. After the war commercial radio broadcasting began in 1920 and was a big hit. World war 2 again accelerated the development of wartime purposes for aircraft and land communication.
• 05:00 - 05:30 Telephone Until now real time communication was was confined to diplomatic purposes or for broadcasting. Still telegram was the Fastest one to one communication used by common people. In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. At first, the benefits of a telephone exchange were not exploited. Instead telephones were leased in pairs to a subscriber, who had to arrange for a telegraph contractor to construct
• 05:30 - 06:00 a line between them, for example between a home and a shop. It was a luxury that only rich people could afford. Later telephones took advantage of the exchange principle already employed in telegraph networks. Each telephone was wired to a local telephone exchange, and the exchanges were wired together with trunks. Networks were connected in a hierarchical manner until they spanned cities, countries, continents and oceans. This was the beginning of the public Switch Telephone Network or PSTN.
• 06:00 - 06:30 The major progress took place after the second world war. So friends,Here we have seen history of communication started from caveman to telephone. But this is just a beginning of golden era in the field of communication, in the next video we will talk about, how communication system evolved from wired to wireless and local to global. Also we will see the role of government to regulate wireless spectrum .and role of private companies to develop existing network of 4th Generation
• 06:30 - 07:00 So friends, don't forget to subscribe our channel and like our videos and Stay tuned for upcoming videos.