I Will Ask You Questions - Now with MORE fantasy ecology!

Just realized we're still in the 1950s. 0_0

Hit me, because Wheat STOLLLEEEEE MY QUESTION ://///////

I actually looked this up, since his response was pretty interesting, but the South American civilizations began in river valleys as well. That said, it's definitely worth considering the implications of Andean civilizations since they advanced through a very mountainous region - they had mastered terraced farming and complicated irrigation systems, but only used the wheel in toys. If the 'old world' had developed in a similar environment, we may have had technological advances in very different stages of history.

If you don't think the question's interesting, I can do a different one. How's about...

Given what you know of history and modern day research methods, what can a government do to help scientific progress aside from warfare and increased spending on research?