Did I know carrier pigeons existed? Absolutely! Would I have ever considered them to be a piece of critical technology to the development of human communication? Absolutely not!
What I learned about the carrier pigeon really opened my third eye to what the wide range of "technology" even refers to. Not once have I ever considered a living thing to be "technology" but upon contemplation, I like to think the shoe fits!
This leads me to believe that perhaps cavalry is a technical advancement of war; though no true "tech" is developed, the ability to utilize existing technology in a new way certainly qualifies.
Similarly to the pigeon; a hand written note is not new, and a pigeon is not groundbreaking. Yet, combining the two creates a new innovation that sped up human communication by leaps and bounds.
This is what is fascinating about technology; the newest innovation may be right around the corner without us knowing it. Maybe perhaps gamma rays are soon to be harvestable, allowing the wireless powering of devices anywhere there is electricity. Perhaps that is a foolish idea, but perhaps it is right around the corner.
Or maybe there's a new development in waste management and sanitation systems, enough so where urban areas now can slash their sanitation department budgets in half. Something that would register little in the day to day life of Americans, yet serves as a major development.
It is also humbling to acknowledge that technology will happen out of the realm of our grasp. For reference, the invention of the printing press did little for those who already couldn't read at the time. Yet, for future generations, this invention changed the fabric of human life.
So in it's fullest summary, technology is all around us. In the words of the great philosopher Ferris Buehler, if you don't look around and appreciate it once in a while,
Ya just might miss it!
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/the-incredible-carrier-pigeons-of-the-first-world-war
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