The Power of Transportation | Origins: The Journey of Humankind

less than 1m read

·Nov 11, 2024

[music playing] [motor revving]

JASON SILVA: What does it take to power a global civilization to connect billions of people across continents? It takes the power of transportation. From the beginning, speed and strength were paramount in the hunt, on the battlefield, for holding together far-flung empires. We sought new forms of power, harnessing the forces of nature to drive us forward—the horse, the wheel, steam power, jet engine. Every new innovation powered our next great leap.

Transportation has become our exoskeleton allowing us to transcend our biology. [music playing] Faster than sound, farther than the moon, our inventions give us a level of power we never imagined. With our machines we carved through solid rock, tunneled beneath the sea floor, connecting the world, mixing distant cultures. Freedom of movement has given us freedom of mind.

The flow of people and materials exposes us to new ideas and new understanding. This is the story of how transportation turned society inside out, how engines and animals powered the rise of civilization, and how the innovations that drive humanity forward made us modern. This is "Origins."

Ask me anything with Sal Khan: April 20 | Homeroom with Sal

It’s Over: The Housing Market Just Collapsed

View All

Sal teaches Grover about the electoral college | US government and civics | Khan Academy

[Music] But for me, both for cute and adorable Grover, I am pro ABC’s and 4 one 2 threes! Plus, I promise I have no skeletons in my closet. I do not even have one in my body. Hey Grover, what are you doing? Oh hello there, Sal Khan! I am just running fo…

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka | National Constitution Center | Khan Academy

Hi, this is Kim from Khan Academy, and today we’re learning more about Brown versus Board of Education of Topeka. Decided in 1954, Brown vs. Board was a landmark case that opened the door for desegregation and the modern civil rights movement. In Brown, t…

Is Humanity Inherently Evil? | The Story of God

I’ve come to meet Baptist Reverend and theologian Cutter Calloway to find out whether original sin means we are all evil at heart. “Pleasure to meet you.” “Thank you, have a seat.” “Thank you. Which book were you reading?” “The first few chapters of G…

Meet The Real Estate Investor who RETIRED at 25 Years Old (Self Made)

To get there, there’s only three things you can do: you can spend less, you can earn more, you can maximize your returns. And in that word, like spending less, yeah, is this way more impactful because it allows you to save more, yeah, and it requires you …

You Think You’re Free? Jean Rousseau Knew You Were Enslaved!

Narrator: There’s a question we’ve stopped asking, not because we found the answer, but because we’ve been too distracted to remember it exists. Am I actually living or just existing in a loop someone else designed for me? From the moment you wake up, you…

Why Chasing Happiness is Pointless (The Hedonic Treadmill)

Centuries ago, Siddhartha Gautama was born a prince, with a prophecy declaring that he would become either a great king or a spiritual leader. His father didn’t like the idea of his son walking the spiritual path; he wanted him to become a powerful ruler,…

The Power of Transportation | Origins: The Journey of Humankind

More Articles