The earliest evidence of human using spears as weapon near Germany, sometime around 400,000 BC. That is why we believe that spear is probably the earliest weapon for our most primitive ancestors. As time passes, we travelled into the stone age (called Kalashnikov Era, sometime around 40,000 - 25,000 BC) when human uses stone-made weapons to fight. For example, human uses stone darts to kill deers within 40 metre range. The very initial evidence of stone-made weapons were found in north Africa but spreading out around the world latter. Boomerangs were crafted around 23,000 BC by the Australians, but were widely used in Europe. The earliest boomerang was made by mammoth tusk, found in a Poland cave. Besides that, the boomerang will not return to the owner when thrown!


Caption: the ancient Greek's balista

The first arrowhead was found in 20,000 BC. This is a new evidence suggesting that the ancient civilization uses bow and arrows as weapon for fight. The first arrowheads was invented, and crafted with stone, around 60,000 years ago. However, an Archaeological Science Journal written in 2005 stated that projectile weapons were not used before 50,000 years ago. Human started using horses in their war around 5,000 BC. That era was also known as the Bronze Age when human crafted bronze daggers and swords to fight. In early 500 BC, the China civilization developed rock ball that could sling as far as 125 metres per ball. The same weapon had been used by ancient Greek around the same time, the balista was used as a seige weapon. Balista is a scaled-up crossbow.


Caption: the matchlock (known as musket)

Gunpowder was used in China in 800 BC. The development of gunpowder has lead to the creation of primitive fire weapons such as guns, bombs, fire arrows etc. under the Song Dynasty (in 960 to 1279). Those are new technologies, partly driven by aggressive neighbours (i.e. Jin Dynasty) in the north. The fire weapons has developed rapidly when the Egyptian soldiers uses fire canons for battle in 1260. They are the first who uses fire canons! Projectile weapons have been developed continously in 1415 when English soldiers decimate the French army with longbows in the Battle of Agincourt. The Battle of Agincourt was an English victory against a larger French army in the Hundred Years' War starting on 25th October 1415. The first matchlock was developed since the Ming's Dynasty (in year 1368 - 1644). The matchlock is a handheld weapon known as the musket.


Caption: shrapnel shells

Rocket launchers were used in long-ranged wars in 1750 to 1800. Rockets have become a permanent fixture on battlefields. However, it is quite outdated nowadays. In 1775, the first submarine was used by the Americans in wars. The british armies uses the technology developed by the Chinese earlier, sharpening the technology by producing shrapnel shells. These shells are special. They contain large number of bullets released at high velocities on detonation in the first war. The Americans manipulated the technology by merging all existing fire weapons, inventing guns in 1836. Guns remained popular until today since it could be reloaded quicker than any other fire weapons. The first machine gun was developed in 1851, and a fully automatic machine gun in 1884. The machine guns can fire continuous bullets and could wipe off enemies in the matter of seconds. At the same time, armors were developed. The first bullet proof vest was developed in 1893. The vest was developed with heavy metal plates. A gun silencer was latter developed in 1909. The purpose is to fire bullets without noise!


Caption: ray gun

The first tank was developed in 1914. It helps the British armies pretty much in the first war. Later, in 1942, the first nuclear bomb has been developed in the United States, and was successfully tested in New Mexico in 1945. The nuclear bomb was dropped in both states in Japanese cities (Hiroshima and Nagasaki), effectively ending the second world war. In 1952, the United States has developed a more powerful bomb than the one dropped in the two Japanese cities. It was a hydrogen bomb that uses x-ray that trigger nuclear reaction, similar to the power that take place inside the sun. The first ray gun was developed in 1953, and was built in the Columbia university. The ray gun is a special weapon which uses the radiation beam, producing similar beam as the microwave. The ray gun technology was enhanced to laser beams in 1960. It produces a beam of red lights.


Caption: taser

The first torpedo was produced by the Soviet union since 1960. It can travel 500 kilometre an hour. Taser was developed in 1974, a non-lethal weapon which produces electrical stun that has the capability of turning a person into unconcious mode. In 2001, the United States Military developed a weapon which produces microwave beams that produces sensation intense heat that will forcefully drive human away when getting near to it. Due to safety reason, the weapon is specially designed to use only by the police. The development of weapon is continuous. A high-energy laser namely the Pulsed Energy Projectile (PEP). This weapon can knock you off your feet!

The latest weapon was designated to produce high energy laser from aircraft in 2008. This weapon has the potential of producing series of mid-air explosion by blasting high-powered lasers. Similar to existing laser weapons, this weapon utilises the microwave beam from mid-air. It uses microwaves to heat the surface of the skin, creating a painful sensation without burning that strongly motivates the target to flee. However, currently, the beam could only reach 2 metres and not further. Therefore, this is still an incomplete project. The latest technology is to create ultimate soldiers with neuroscience. I believe this has something that deals with inserting electromagnets digitally into soldiers mind to increase their ability in war! However, this is still a topic of future research.