If their were hyper advanced human civilizations, before ours would we know it?

[Lee Stone]

Of course, then there's the possibility of actually discovering something and being totally oblivious to it being an artifact, or what its purpose was.

A lot of the tech we have now would just look like oddly shaped rocks if the next civilization never discovers electricity.

I've always pondered the thought that if an ancient civilization used crystals to store information on (much like we do with memory cards), we might never know it.

[Adam Allen]

Of course, then there's the possibility of actually discovering something and being totally oblivious to it being an artifact, or what its purpose was.

A lot of the tech we have now would just look like oddly shaped rocks if the next civilization never discovers electricity.

I've always pondered the thought that if an ancient civilization used crystals to store information on (much like we do with memory cards), we might never know it.

Electricity is just a natural phenomenon, like light or thermal energy. There's no way any civilization evolves technology without being aware of it.

[Lee Stone]

Electricity is just a natural phenomenon, like light or thermal energy. There's no way any civilization evolves technology without being aware of it.

Maybe electricity, itself, was a poor example.
Regardless, they wouldn't know what an iPhone was for.

Similarly, a vinyl record (if one survived) would likely appear to them as a possible wall ornament.
Or a 'rain catcher', with the mysterious grooves designed to lead water to the center. Where it would then flow through the hole to be filtered.