A group of international scientists determined to outdo each other in the race for ancient technological discoveries, embarked on a digging expedition. Scottish researchers having dug 10 meters deep, unearthed traces of copper wire dating back 100 years. They proudly declared that their ancestors had a telephone network over a century ago.
Not to be outshone, British scientists delved even deeper, reaching a depth of 20 meters. UK newspapers proclaimed, “British archaeologists discover 200-year-old copper wire, establishing an advanced high-tech communications network a century earlier than the Scots.”
In response, “The Kerryman,” a newsletter from southwest Ireland, reported an amusing twist. Paddy O’Droll, a self-taught Irish archaeologist, claimed to have dug 30 meters deep in a peat bog near Tralee. His report humorously stated, “After extensive digging, I found absolutely nothing.” Paddy concluded with a chuckle that Ireland had already gone wireless 300 years ago.
Unearthing Humor: Ancient Technologies and International Competition