Showing the exponential acceleration of human progress
3.3 million years
Stone Age
3.3 million - 3300 BCE
Stone tools, hunter-gatherer societies, development of language, art, and early agriculture. The longest period in human history.
2,100 years
Bronze Age
3300 - 1200 BCE
Development of metallurgy, writing systems, early civilizations. Rise of cities, trade networks, and complex societies.
1,700 years
Iron Age
1200 BCE - 500 CE
Superior metal tools and weapons. Classical civilizations (Greece, Rome, China, India). Major philosophical and religious developments.
1,000 years
Medieval Period
500 - 1500 CE
Feudal systems, religious dominance. Preservation and slow advancement of knowledge through monasteries and Islamic scholars.
300 years
Renaissance & Exploration
1400 - 1700 CE
Scientific revolution, artistic flowering. Global exploration and colonization. Beginning of modern scientific method.
80 years
First Industrial Age
1760 - 1840
Steam power, mechanization, factory systems. Rapid urbanization and fundamental social transformation.
74 years
Second Industrial Revolution
1840 - 1914
Electricity, steel, chemicals, internal combustion. Mass production, railroads, and global transportation networks.
25 years
Atomic/Space Age
1945 - 1970
Nuclear technology, space exploration. Beginning of modern electronics and computer technology.
30 years
Information Age
1970 - 2000
Personal computers, internet, digital communication. Globalization of information and commerce.
10 years
Internet/Digital Age
2000 - 2010
World Wide Web explosion, mobile technology, social media. Digital transformation of society and business.
10 years
Mobile/Social Age
2010 - 2020
Smartphones, cloud computing, social networks. Always-connected global society and sharing economy.
5+ years
Artificial Intelligence Age
2020 - Present
Machine learning, automation, AI integration. Beginning of human-AI collaboration and potential transformation of work and society.
The Great Acceleration: Notice how each age becomes dramatically shorter than the last. The Stone Age lasted millions of years, while recent technological ages span mere decades or even years. This exponential compression reflects the compound effect of knowledge accumulation, faster communication, and technology creating better technology at an ever-increasing pace.