The source provides an extensive overview of the history, technological evolution, and societal impact of the candle. It begins by establishing the candle as a revolutionary illumination tool that predates the lightbulb, detailing its origins from ancient Egyptian rush lights and early Chinese whale fat candles to the Roman invention of the wicked candle and medieval use of beeswax. A significant portion of the text analyzes the technical limitations of traditional lighting methods like pine torches and oil lamps, emphasizing their issues with short burn times, excessive smoke, and safety hazards, which severely restricted ancient social and economic activities. The source highlights key innovations that modernized the candle, such as Michel Eugène Chevreul's discovery of stearic acid and Joseph Morgan's mechanization of production, which led to the inexpensive, clean-burning paraffin candle. Finally, it explores the deep cultural and economic influence of candles, noting their symbolic role in various religious ceremonies and global festivals like birthdays and Diwali, while also documenting the modern, multi-billion-dollar candle industry that supports regional economies and drives global trade.

The source provides an extensive academic overview of the development and societal impact of wood and stone agricultural tools during the Neolithic period in China, spanning roughly from 10,000 to 1,700 BCE. It systematically examines the evolution of essential tools like the lei-si (spade/plow), stone plows, hoes, and sickles, highlighting the technological transition from simple tools to complex, composite instruments utilizing innovations such as grinding, drilling, and mortise-and-tenon joints. Furthermore, the text explores related agricultural advancements, including the earliest evidence of cattle plowing and irrigation systems, and analyzes how these technological changes spurred the Neolithic Revolution, leading to increased food production, the rise of sedentary agricultural societies, and the subsequent emergence of social stratification and cultural development. Ultimately, the study confirms the central role of farming tools in driving profound economic and social transformations that established the foundation for early Chinese civilization.

The source provides an extensive analysis of the invention of writing, highlighting it as a revolutionary cultural turning point that shifted humanity from reliance on memory to external knowledge storage. It systematically examines four major ancient writing systems―Mesopotamian Cuneiform, Egyptian Hieroglyphs, Chinese Oracle Bone Script, and Mayan Script―detailing their origins, characteristics, and primary uses. Furthermore, the document explores the profound impacts of writing across various domains, including its necessity for establishing bureaucracy and centralized governance, facilitating commercial transactions and economic growth, enabling the preservation of literature and scientific knowledge, and fundamentally changing human thought patterns and cognitive abilities.