Pigeons...the underrated transformer of the world
In the rich history of the Evolution of Communication Technology, many notable inventions can be studied. From the printing press to mores code, humanity has found newer and more innovative ways to spread, share, connect, and transfer information from one place to another. If we trace the evolution of technology back to its origins of hieroglyphics and cruciform alphabets, one "invention" worth acknowledging, that is still used to this day, would be that of the Carrier Pigeon. This useful and dynamic bird has been used for communication purposes since the beginning of time. The earliest record of the Carrier Pigeon's use is around 776 BC. Many ancient civilizations and world conquerors such as the Greeks, Romans, and the Mongolians used Carrier Pigeons as a pivotal role in the establishment of their empire and culture. If anything, Carrier Pigeons are reminders to humanity of just how strong we can create and form bonds with other species on this earth.
The reasoning for the pigeon's indisputable popularity in sharing information is because, similar to that of horses, pigeons have unique homing abilities. The urge to return to the place that it once came from and the reliability of the animal's flight patterns innately, makes this animal extremely valuable and useful in human correspondence. Especially between two locations not easily reached by foot or any other conventional communication method such as boat or wagon, pigeons become a relatively economically sound, easy, and reliable method to effectively deliver a message. The Mongolians especially relied on not just pigeons, but hawks and falcons too, to not only share information from their mountain posts down to the vast plains of the land, but for hunting and chasing as well. These special birds were gradually recognized more and more as an important asset to subtle communication when war time would come. Too dangerous to send an actual messenger out for relaying important details from one battalion to another, carrier pigeons were used exponentially more. The minimization of risk in losing just a pigeon made them very appealing and in 1917, The United States of America, invested heavily in this mode of communication during World War I. The subtle, non-suspicious nature of a simple pigeon flying in the sky, made crucial messages easier to deliver without fear of human intervention successfully. So successfully, that the United States and many other countries like Great Britain and France, invested in carrier pigeon programs with breeding, training, and more. Pigeons were again used all throughout World War II having the program finally discontinued in the late 50's as the cusp of technology roared on.
Today, Carrier Pigeons are still used for minor things such as delivering blood to remote locations in France or for spotting shipwrecks from helicopters -- due to their 360-degree visual plane abilities -- in the U.S. Occasionally, these innocently talented animals are used by drug rings to mule products around as distribution. Whatever the use may be, there is one undeniable thing. This form of communication, whether 'outdated' in modern society's terms or not, is reliable, easy, and consistent in nature; allowing for these animals and their abilities to maintain relevancy across decades of human technological advancement.
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