Were we humans the first to invent screws in the Universe?
Whether civilisations unknown to us exist in the Universe is not a question for me, since life is not matter, and it is therefore able to appear anywhere the conditions are given; distance is no obstacle — and this leaves plenty of room for the imagination. I do not believe, however, that this is mere fantasising, any more than that there is water, air and whatever else is needed elsewhere too. The material world is made up of the elements appearing in the periodic table (and perhaps not appearing there), and physics is physics everywhere, whether we know it or not. It is plainly visible even to the naked eye that there are plenty of solar systems besides ours in infinity.
Now of course life is not yet a civilisation — a civilisation, by contrast, is life in any case, and life is certainly, abundantly present everywhere. Where intelligent beings live, civilisations also develop, therefore we may assume that civilisations both less developed and more developed than ours exist. Among the characteristics of civilisations is that they form colonies in the interest of satisfying their needs more effectively, as well as of maintaining and protecting the species, and meanwhile they transform their environment in accordance with their own needs. From these it follows that others besides us have tools too. Tools are made using materials originating from the environment, so some kind of industry must exist for them to be able to survive as civilisations over the long term through producing these.
Industry comprises the production and use of interrelated sub-units, and these have to be connected to one another in releasable and non-releasable ways so that they assemble into units of a defined purpose. Are there, then, wedges, springs, screws, or are there not? Does mining and metallurgy exist, can they cut, bend, drill, rivet, weld, etc.? Here on Earth would it perhaps be conceivable without these? No. In civilisations similar to ours, or more developed, there must therefore exist gadgets similar to those we use — among them NONOX stainless and acid-resistant screws. Perhaps even their material and their dimensions are similar, since they too design on a mathematical and geometrical basis. Speaking of which — they design, so they have even more similar tools!
If we think about it properly, life has something to do with thought, which likewise knows no bounds!
If there are components, then they have to be fixed to one another, for example with NONOX stainless and acid-resistant screws. Of course there are methods for this — but then we know these too — and among them figure screws, as releasable joints. It is my conviction that we, civilised beings, use these clever little contraptions everywhere, so that we can build, and later dismantle what we have built! But how exciting it would be to visit their works and warehouses, to take their components in hand and examine them! Exporting and importing might not be worthwhile because of the great distance, but we could gain good ideas, and could even give them — perhaps we are already doing so…
If I were to mount an expedition to the Moon, I would plan in advance what NONOX stainless and acid-resistant screws to take with me, because on the Moon there is as yet no life, no industry; if someone does work there, they have to take every component, tool and everything else from here, from Earth. If, on the other hand, I were preparing for the more distant galaxies, for a very long journey, I would take nothing there, trusting that I will find everything I need there anyway…
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