why after 2000 years is Novus not that much more advanced then present day earth?

[morrismike]

But not MacGyver.
Given the nature of the mission, it's most likely that the majority of scientists are just theoretical physicists, mostly astrophysics and not full engineers. Their knowledges about other domains would be limeted. And whats good in theory is not always good in practice.
About that school (and the village) in the end, that was build over decades, at least 50 years at most (only Wray was the last survivor). By that time things have changed considerably.
If you want your knowledge to not vanish, then you must make sure it will also be applied in the real world, not just on paper. If you begin to teach some young students on Novus only lets say, 100 years, when you only have a small industry, about quantum physics and electronics and gallium semiconductors, everybody will ask you:
"What's the purpose of learning this, if my kiln doesn't use that, and we have no electronics apart from some dead things that our grandparents left us and what is that gallium whatever, I've never saw that?
And you'll say:
"But we'll need them in the future"
"Well, the future can wait. I think that learning things that are set in present would be better."

Afterall, IRL we hear a lot of people saying that the fusion power will be an excellent source of energy, that simulations show a huge release of energy, that the physicists bla bla bla. Although this its true (just look at the stars), no experiment so far has created a working prototype and the research is only carried out by a few companies and organisations.
So while it would be cool, its not yet and nobody likes promises.
And yep, cement is not something you can make it in the kitchen.

Cement is easy. The Romans made it and their version is more durable than that because it doesn't use rebar (not as strong). I would admit without a big kiln and industrial capability why try.

[morrismike]

"put your hand up if you can make paper" there are over 30 highly intelligent scientists on destiny, I would put money on at least a couple of them having picked up that knowledge in the course of their life

They had kinos and didn't need paper.

[Quizziard]

5. irrigation and sewers is easy

There's a big difference between knowledge and implementation. However, you're right: the big advantage that the survivors gain is that they have the knowledge. At least in outline. Theories of hygiene and plumbing that should be aeons ahead of equivalent Earth cultures equivalently in the stone age. But anything needed making would, by definition, need making. Someone mentioned the baking point of concrete, above: useful trivia fact but would anyone on Destiny know it?

[jimbeamjunior]

maybe they just werent smart enough to advance any further than they were at

nevermind anything else, materials, facilities etc, simple fact may be that they reached a certain level of intelligence level and could not surpass it, for all we know the tollans etc had outside factors in their development that aided their technological advancements

[slimjim]

maybe they just werent smart enough to advance any further than they were at

nevermind anything else, materials, facilities etc, simple fact may be that they reached a certain level of intelligence level and could not surpass it, for all we know the tollans etc had outside factors in their development that aided their technological advancements

"maybe they just werent smart enough to advance any further than they were at" all human groups have the same average intelligence

"they reached a certain level of intelligence level", you don't reach an "intelligence level" average human intelligence is set for all time, you reach a "knowledge level".

"for all we know the tollans etc had outside factors in their development that aided their technological advancements" 1) their not the only highly advanced human world we've seen 2)either way that means their technology must be achievable and understandable by some means, which means humans can figure it out if we can understand it

[slimjim]

They had kinos and didn't need paper.

they could get damaged, it would be foolish to have no back up
also only one person can look at that little screen at a time

[Nth Chevron]

1) you can't perfect existing technology without "discovering any new avenues" in order to perfect it

Just like we discovered flying anti-grav cars whilst continuing to increase the efficiency and overall design of current piston engines.

Considering the beginnings and the comforts with which the original Destiny crew grew up with, its not unreasonable to assume high technological advancement was ignored for awhile in favour of infrastructure, medical, farming etc etc.

N.C

[slimjim]

Just like we discovered flying anti-grav cars whilst continuing to increase the efficiency and overall design of current piston engines.

well not in completely different fields obviously

Considering the beginnings and the comforts with which the original Destiny crew grew up with, its not unreasonable to assume high technological advancement was ignored for awhile in favour of infrastructure, medical, farming etc etc.

N.C

I know, I just think 2000 years is too long for that explanation to pass

[Quizziard]

well not in completely different fields obviously

I know, I just think 2000 years is too long for that explanation to pass

Despite my previous posting, which I do stand-by in terms of back-to-basics knowledge, their development should really be no worse than back on Earth. All their accumulated "advanced" knowledge should be able to offset the lack of hands-on/basic knowledge in terms of development. For example, they may not know how to make paper, in practice, but they should be able to condense steam power much faster than Trevithick/Stephenson etc. on Earth.

[slimjim]

Despite my previous posting, which I do stand-by in terms of back-to-basics knowledge, their development should really be no worse than back on Earth. All their accumulated "advanced" knowledge should be able to offset the lack of hands-on/basic knowledge in terms of development. For example, they may not know how to make paper, in practice, but they should be able to condense steam power much faster than Trevithick/Stephenson etc. on Earth.

but they'd loose that knowledge if they couldn't write it down (forgetting the keno for now),
also I always thought the ability to do very sophisticated things is built on a foundation of more simple things, like for example no matter how much they wanted to they couldn't build a good steam powered engine because there is no manufacturing infrastructure to make the standardised parts you would need, and there's no where you can buy food from to supply workers so they can afford to spend their time building the thing and presumable a rail road instead of farming

[Quizziard]

but they'd loose that knowledge if they couldn't write it down (forgetting the keno for now),
also I always thought the ability to do very sophisticated things is built on a foundation of more simple things, like for example no matter how much they wanted to they couldn't build a good steam powered engine because there is no manufacturing infrastructure to make the standardised parts you would need, and there's no where you can buy food from to supply workers so they can afford to spend their time building the thing and presumable a rail road instead of farming

Very true. Also, simple numbers. They can't have people developing metallurgy/electronics/paper when they need to begin with houses, clothing and farming.

[slimjim]

Very true. Also, simple numbers. They can't have people developing metallurgy/electronics/paper when they need to begin with houses, clothing and farming.

"metallurgy & paper" I could imagine being achievable within the founders life time, "electronics" noooooooo way

[morrismike]

There's a big difference between knowledge and implementation. However, you're right: the big advantage that the survivors gain is that they have the knowledge. At least in outline. Theories of hygiene and plumbing that should be aeons ahead of equivalent Earth cultures equivalently in the stone age. But anything needed making would, by definition, need making. Someone mentioned the baking point of concrete, above: useful trivia fact but would anyone on Destiny know it?

The engineers should. They should also have the knowledge to manufacture a kiln and develop copper and iron ore.

[morrismike]

"metallurgy & paper" I could imagine being achievable within the founders life time, "electronics" noooooooo way

Why the need for electronics in such a short time frame. There are much more pressing needs.

[morrismike]

they could get damaged, it would be foolish to have no back up
also only one person can look at that little screen at a time

Treebark, sandstone
This isn't rocket science.