> > Our timeline of discovery follows a different course from Dragaera's. Well, why is this? That is the discussion. > > If our dicoveries weren't predetermined, they were uncertain at least. The microchip, rifle, or combustion engine might be an UNLIKELY realization of scientific inquiry, although the underlying concepts may seem obvious to us today. Against this is the commonly-observed phenomenon of "steam-engine-time". Frequently, important discoveries and/or inventions come about quite independently from multiple sources at the same time. In many instances, the discoveries seem absolutely inevitable, as soon as "the right time" arrived. Alexx Alexx Kay Opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily those of my employers alexx at world.std.com http://world.std.com/~alexx Quod licet Iovi non licet bovi. [Translation: What Jove may do, is not permitted to a cow.] [Ancient Phrase]