Stone Knife to the Moon

[Gran]

Who needs to go to the moon?! First pull up to the 21th century technology, then try to enable technological singularity through research of sentient algorithms. In the meantime, try bioengineering with the local monkeys to make them into a proto-hominid slave race, crossing your human genes with them*. When you reach singularity, technological research boosts by unprecendented levels and by there you alredy has a slave race under your control. Then you can build a planetary empire in no time, conquer the other planets, reach your time machine in the moon and make it into a coffee machine.

Ain't it obvious?
*(This does not involve raping monkeys.)

[joo]

*(This does not involve raping monkeys.)

You've lost me.

[frenchfisher]

If you go back to 20 million YBP, well, you're screwed, because there aren't even hominids on the Earth, and everything of note would require more than one person (In fact, I'm a little surprised that no one else noticed this!). When you are eaten by a saber-toothed tiger all your knowledge dies with you.

If you go back to 2 million YBP, you've got hominids, more than likely you don't have language. And, without language, you can't relay any of your thoughts to others—you might only get the simplest of responses to your entreaties. Your vastly superior brain, though, would probably help you have lots of children if you were so inclined. When you die of a disease unknown in modern times, the vast majority of your knowledge dies with you, and when the people that you taught some rudiments to die all the knowledge will basically disappear.

If you go back to 200,000 YBP, you're now (barely) in the time of homo sapiens, though they're still quite different than the ones today. We're not entirely sure when language developed, but we think it might've been later than 200,000 YBP. Still, there might've been some proto-languages floating around, and depending on how good you are at learning them (and you're probably better than they are) you might start to get some communication. This might be the earliest you could have some of your ideas live on after you after you are killed by Grok, the guy you took a mate from.

20,000 YBP, you can really start doing things. Though no "civilizations" per se have started forming, language almost certainly existed, meaning you can start teaching others the abstract ideas necessary to go through with your project. Better yet, they can understand those abstract ideas, given time. Things are looking good, but you're killed after about 50 years because Joju remembers you promised she could try out the fun wheel thingymabob but you never let her.

[Diego]

I don't think there's any reason one man can't do what two can. It might just take him longer, or require more creativity.

[Russell of Los Angeles]

I don't think there's any reason one man can't do what two can. It might just take him longer, or require more creativity.

I agree.

The "control room" that NASA uses when launching rockets or the space shuttle, for example, would not be needed, because there's nobody to communicate with, and it's a one way trip.

There are risks of being alone, of course. If you fall down a hole and break a leg, you're screwed. But these risks wouldn't make the whole project impossible.

[Rebma]

I don't think there's any reason one man can't do what two can. It might just take him longer, or require more creativity.

I agree.

The "control room" that NASA uses when launching rockets or the space shuttle, for example, would not be needed, because there's nobody to communicate with, and it's a one way trip.

There are risks of being alone, of course. If you fall down a hole and break a leg, you're screwed. But these risks wouldn't make the whole project impossible.

Nooo. First task, tie a shit load of branches, reeds, whatever, together, then around waist, then around tree. I'll have none of that beiing screwed falling down a hole.

[Dudel]

I don't think there's any reason one man can't do what two can. It might just take him longer, or require more creativity.

I agree.

The "control room" that NASA uses when launching rockets or the space shuttle, for example, would not be needed, because there's nobody to communicate with, and it's a one way trip.

There are risks of being alone, of course. If you fall down a hole and break a leg, you're screwed. But these risks wouldn't make the whole project impossible.

Nooo. First task, tie a shit load of branches, reeds, whatever, together, then around waist, then around tree. I'll have none of that beiing screwed falling down a hole.

Then the tree falls over!

[Cdls]

Actually, I haven't given much thought into the process of getting sick, disease and injury. Bringing in this factor would reduce the chances of the task being accomplished down to zero.

[Gran]

Well it still it possible. If you are Les Stroud.

[Russell of Los Angeles]

Actually, I haven't given much thought into the process of getting sick, disease and injury. Bringing in this factor would reduce the chances of the task being accomplished down to zero.

Well, we could assume that sickness and disease can be ruled out by the timetraverler's "anti-aging" quality.

So, his chances could still be greater than zero.

[CantrFreak]

Why not simply make another time machine instead of going all the way to the moon?

[Russell of Los Angeles]

Why not simply make another time machine instead of going all the way to the moon?

He's only got technology up to 2009 in his cyborg brain.

[BZR]

It's not about what you can make - it's about how fast you are. Things needs repeairing, spare parts, you need to carry everything on your back. Also, don't forget that you must eat. One day you will find out, that after eating, sleepeing, repeairing, constructing spare parts etc you just have no time for anything else. And that would be the border.

Do not tell me about cars, computers etc it would be far far beyond that border.

And do not forget that Africa is not the best continent for such experiment. I would chose south Europe - colder, but less diseases, insects, rains, wild animals etc.

[Russell of Los Angeles]

It's not about what you can make - it's about how fast you are. Things needs repeairing, spare parts, you need to carry everything on your back. Also, don't forget that you must eat. One day you will find out, that after eating, sleepeing, repeairing, constructing spare parts etc you just have no time for anything else. And that would be the border.

Do not tell me about cars, computers etc it would be far far beyond that border.

He wouldn't need to carry everything on his back. He'd use wheelbarrows, hand carts, and possibly even pack animals, early on.

I think he would be able to continue to improve the quality of his tools to eventually reach advanced technology.

And do not forget that Africa is not the best continent for such experiment. I would chose south Europe - colder, but less diseases, insects, rains, wild animals etc.

It's arguable that other continents would be better, but the climate and wildlife would quite different 20 million years ago, so I don't think we have much basis to argue on.

But I don't think disease would be a problem anywhere, with no people.

[Russell of Los Angeles]

Just thought I'd bump this thread in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the moon landing on July 20th.

NASA will be streaming the audio from the landing in realtime as it happened exactly 40 years ago.