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Archive of Human Genius
The world’s largest database of good news and social change milestones from throughout human history
A Timeline of Human History
We are building the world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news. Change is not only possible, it has happened consistently throughout human history.
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Era Tomorrow (2026 C.E. - ???)
Today (2017 C.E. - 2025 C.E.)
Post-modernity (1945 - 2016 C.E.)
Modernity (1500 - 1945 C.E.)
Post-classical (500 - 1500 C.E.)
Civilization (3000 B.C.E. - 500 C.E.)
Agriculture (10000 - 3000 B.C.E.)
Prehistory (250000 - 10000 B.C.E.)
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Topic All #Resist Abortion rights & access Activism & Protests Agriculture Air pollution Animal husbandry & domestication Animal rights & well-being Architecture & design Artificial intelligence Arts, music, literature & entertainment Astronomy & space exploration Athletics & sport Black Lives Matter Blockchain & cryptocurrency Capital punishment Caste abolition Child well-being Circular economy & zero waste Cities Civilization Clean & renewable energy Climate crisis Clothing Colonialism Communication & language Conscious management Consumer rights & well-being Corporate responsibility COVID-19 Crime Culture Dark skies Death & Grief Debt Decolonization Democracy & voting Disabilities & special needs Discovery & exploration Drinking water; sanitation & hygiene Drugs & Entheogens Economic inequality Education Elections Electrification Environment Ethical sourcing Ethics Evolution Finance Flora & fauna Food & diet Free speech & censorship Fresh water conservation Gay rights Gender Genocide Government Green bonds Green space Gun safety Hate speech Healthcare Houselessness Human rights Immigration Independence Indigenous rights & well-being Infrastructure International cooperation Internet rights Journalism Justice system Kindness Kingdoms & empire Law LGBTQ+ rights & well-being Life expectancy & mortality Literature Local resilience Marine conservation Medicine Men's health & well-being Mental health & addiction Migration & settlement Military Mindfulness & self-care Minimum wage Mythology & folklore Nations Natural gas & divestment News & media No coal No fracking Nuclear disarmament Numbers & math Ocean health Oil Oil, natural gas & divestment Parenting Paris Agreement Peace Philanthropy Philosophy Physics Plastic pollution Police reform Pollution Poverty alleviation Prison justice Privacy & security Public health & disease Public safety Racial justice Refugees Religion Reparations Reproductive rights Responsible sourcing & consumption Revolution Rights of nature Same-sex marriage Seniors' rights & well-being Sexual assault & domestic violence Shamanism & rituals Social media Sustainability Sustainable Development Goals Technology & innovation Tourism Trade Transgender rights & well-being Transportation Trees & reforestation Universal basic income Water pollution Wildlife & land conservation Women's rights & well-being Workers' rights & well-being Youth & student movements
Country All Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia-Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Chad Cherokee Nation Chile China Colombia Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'Ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic Republic of Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador England Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia European Union Faroe Islands Federated States of Micronesia Fiji Finland France French Polynesia Gabon Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guatemala Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Navajo Nation Nepal New Caledonia New Zealand / Aotearoa Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue North Korea North Macedonia Northern Ireland Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Poland Portugal Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Scotland Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South America South Korea South Sudan Soviet Union Spain Sri Lanka St. Kitts & Nevis St. Lucia St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Tahiti Taiwan Tanzania Thailand The Bahamas The Gambia The Netherlands The Philippines Timor Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad & Tobago Tristan da Cunha Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Wales Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe
Actor All Activists Artists & philosophers Athletes Business Cities Citizens Civil society Consumers Courts Early humans Engineers Finance Government Humanity Humankind Indigenous groups International organizations Inventors Kingdoms & empires Media & Journalists Military Nations Non-humans Regions Religious groups Science & academia Scientists & mathematicians Settlers & explorers States & provinces Utilities Workers World leaders
2040 C.E.
In a major climate crisis milestones, after decades of fossil fuel dominance in household heating systems, climate-friendly heat pumps become the most common option across the country. The 2020s and 30s see exponential growth in heat pump sales due to increased public urgency on climate, growing consumer awareness about heat pumps, aggressive government rebates, and improved technology that allowed heat pumps to withstand even bitterly cold winters.
2024 C.E.
As of 2024, Indonesia was the world’s fifth-largest operator of coal-fired power capacity. At that time, Indonesia had nearly 10 GW of new coal-fired capacity already under construction, a further 5 GW in various early stages of development, and zero megawatts retired since 2000. However, its ambitious 2024 plan to phase out all coal-fired power plants proved a key turning point, catalyzing a rapid succession of coal plant closures. By 2039, Indonesia closed its last remaining plant, a major milestone in humanity's mission to net-zero carbon emissions.
2039 C.E. ???
For the first time ever, more than 50 nations worldwide are led by female heads of state simultaneously. This inspires and empowers women and girls around the world to dream big and step up into leadership roles and other roles usually not encouraged for them. As a result, the broader global community reaps the benefits of female leadership, running more effectively and equitably, and cultivating heightened empathy, collaboration, and creativity.
2039 C.E. ???
Throughout history, perhaps 1 in every 20 births resulted in the mother dying. However, due to advances in healthcare, poverty alleviation, and education around the world, the global community has made momentous strides over the last several decades. Now, it finally achieves the historic milestone of only one death per thousand live births.
2039 C.E. ???
For decades, the East Asian giant had been both the world's largest automotive market and the world's fastest adopters of EV. In a stunning milestone for climate action and public health, China all but eliminates new sales of gas-powered cars.
2038 C.E. ???
After decades of gender apartheid, women across Iran win full marriage and divorce, employment, and public expression rights equal to those of men in the country.
2038 C.E. ???
After decades, if not centuries of debate, the U.S. Congress passes a bill formally recognizing and protecting pregnant people's right to make the right choice for their bodies and to decide if and when they can truly offer their children the healthy, secure, and full life that they deserve.
2037 C.E. ???
With the last remaining countries deciding that plastic bags are not in their or the world's interest, the production and sale of the polluting technology is all but eliminated worldwide. The bans prove a resounding success in reducing pollutants in soils and waterways, protecting marine life, reducing carbon emissions in the air, and ultimately making the world a more livable and beautiful place.
2037 C.E. ???
After decades of among the top incarceration and recidivism rates in the world, the U.S. fundamentally shifts the intended purpose of its prisons away from punishment to earnestly preparing the incarcerated to reintegrate into, navigate, and contribute to society.
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