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Humans

Can we ever know who invented the wheel?

Some of the most important inventions – wheels, nets and the written word – have creators lost to time, even though their impact shaped the world we live in

By Michael Marshall

14 April 2023

Ljubljana Marshes Wheel with axle (oldest wooden wheel yet discovered)

The oldest wooden wheel yet discovered was found in marshes in Ljubljana

Petar Milošević

The following is an extract from Our Human Story, a newsletter about human evolution. Sign up to receive it for free in your inbox every month.

This month, I’m going to tackle a question from OHS editor Chelsea Whyte:

“Is it possible to know who invented the wheel? Not what nation or region they lived in, but which person or group did it? Is this a stupid question? Seems like writing came around a similar time, but even if …

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