The history of science can be traced back to the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, where people developed the earliest forms of scientific inquiry and experimentation. During the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment, the scientific revolution saw a dramatic increase in scientific knowledge and exploration. During the 19th century, scientific progress continued at a rapid rate as new discoveries and inventions in fields such as physics, astronomy, chemistry, and biology were made. In the 20th century, the advance of technology and the internet created new opportunities for scientific exploration. Today, science continues to advance rapidly and new discoveries are made every day.