throughthepastdarkly

Let's say you had a time machine. You could go back and be brought to meet some people of influence in 1200 AD. Being from the future, what simple engineering concept (relative to their era) could you tell them about that would allow them to make a great leap forward?

Using a possible example relative to a different era, I'm thinking that if you used the time machine to go back to the time of Christ, telling the Romans about the stirrup would have a substantial impact on their military, especially Persian-checking abilities.

Just a few guidelines:
+ Tangible, not abstract (no feudal lord or king is going to adopt capitalism just because you say it's the way of the future)
+ You can show, demonstrate or explain the engineering of this new idea comprehensively
+ You can't take anything with you in the time machine when you arrive, a demonstration model must be possible to make from resources there (thus disqualifying the steam engine)
+ You and said person of influence each have Babel fish so that language is no barrier.
+ 1200 AD.. Think on the context; what technologies already exist (steel, compass, heavy plough, etc), how do people live, what don't they have that you could make to show them which will be most useful for them?

Pedro

This is a great brain exercise. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for your rules to be broken. Meanwhile I'll think about it for a couple of days. Nice one throughthepastdarkly.

throughthepastdarkly

Thanks, glad you like it. I'm hoping it'll be a slow-burn type of thread.

Toltec

Having made fireworks, I suppose I could knock up some nice explosives for them, gunpower, flash powder, thermite are all rather easy to make, could even come up with a rocket delivery system.

Sterilisation could be a possibility and how to make a compass.

Chookie

Actually it doesn't the ancient Greeks had a form of steam engine, as did the Byzantines. However thet saw as purely a novelty item.

As to what I would take with me, I'll have to think about that....

throughthepastdarkly

Please don't think about that. As stated, you can't take anything with you.

throughthepastdarkly

Compass is already around.

Bucephalus

Metallurgy was advanced enough in 1200 AD to construct the necessary components for a basic "modern" steam engine (assuming you could convince the metalworkers to build the parts to your specs). I don't know that I would be so quick to dismiss it in your scenario.

To bounce off what Toltec already said, how about modern medical hygiene, sterilization, and surgical techniques?

throughthepastdarkly

Ok, if we could, let's try to keep it layman-sy. Most people could put together a rough makeshift stirrup from a length of rope. Laymen can't make a steam engine comprehensible to a new crowd. I'd like to keep the complex mechanisms out, and keep it something of simple engineering, a simple idea that could greatly change things.

Bucephalus

Okay, how about the simple concept of the proper treatment and disposal of human and animal sewage, a simple idea that would have been a radical change in lifestyle for the average person in 1200...