Innovations of the Incas – Part I

Machu Picchu represents a feat of engineering by the Inca civilization, built in the 15th century with no modern tools or technology. However, it could also be considered a center of new thinking, with features that have puzzled scientists and historians for centuries. Some believe that the site served as a university, designed to expose the Incas to a more jungle-oriented region. The terracing and stone construction would remind them of parts of their Empire, while the location would be at the edge of the jungle where they needed to learn how to survive and expand. Meanwhile, the Inca site of Moray, near Cuzco, is a great example of the use of an agricultural research station. Each terrace represented a micro-climate and modern scientists have determined that there is a difference of as much as 27 degrees Fahrenheit in temperature from the top terrace to the lowest terrace. The placement of the site, at 11,500 feet above sea level, also leverages different breezes coming from the surrounding mountains and valleys, adding other variables to the agricultural research. Innovators can learn from the Incas' use of partial immersion and the importance of structuring analysis with specific variations to develop new thinking and test out new ideas to determine which is best suited to one's overall objectives.