Introduction

Typography is the technique of arranging letters for readability. New technologies and demands have changed it over thousands of years. Serifs, the small strokes that can end letters, have been one of those evolutions. Like the coccyx, a bone at the bottom of our back, which has evolved from the tail in monkeys, serifs are in decline in the digital era. We'll discuss typography's history, how it relates to our humanity, and why serifs are disappearing from digital media.

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Writing and Typing

Writing started typography. Sumerians, Egyptians, and Chinese wrote on clay, stone, papyrus, and bamboo. For readability, they utilized basic letters without serifs.

Before regular writing instruments, humans have written with styluses, brushes, quills, and pens on multiple surfaces. These tools can for me letters with serifs spontaneously.

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Printer Effect

Gutenberg's printing press revolutionized typography. Mass-producing books allowed spreading knowledge on a large scale. Serifs were employed more because they were thought to lead the reader's eye and make volumes of text simpler to read. Modern research disproves this.

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Writing Tools

Typography constantly used serifs. Calligraphy and print typefaces alike. Serifs balanced characters and kept styluses, quills, and pens from smearing. And, they evolved to bracketed, slab, and transitional serifs.

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Digitalization and Serifs' Decline

Computers and digital technologies have changed typography. Digital typefaces and graphical interfaces have ended writing tool constraints. Computers rendered letters precisely and created innumerable typefaces.

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Digital sans-serif fonts have become more popular. Their clear lines have made them better for displays and user interfaces, due to digitalisation and a demand for contemporary, minimalistic typefaces.

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Coccyx Analogy

The coccyx, or tailbone, is a remnant of our ancestors' tails, which have obviously faded, since the primary function has been in monkeys, to balance themselves when walking, climbing trees, and even grabbing things. We have gradually lost it since our ancestors began to walk, and will vanish completely (the coccyx will disappear fully) in thousands of years, naturally. Typographic serifs have likewise faded. In the digital era, they are not useful for writing.

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The coccyx shows how our ancestors adapted physically to their surroundings. Serifs, which were a natural result of traditional writing tools, are now more of a nostalgic refference to the origins of typography than an essential component of digital communication.

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As technology progresses and we use more digital devices, sans-serif fonts are becoming increasingly popular.

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Conclusion

Typography's history since writing's invention is fascinating. Typography has evolved with the times, from prehistoric engravings through the printing press to the digital era.

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Like the coccyx, serifs' digital extinction reminds us of our history. Typography will adapt to the digital world as technology changes how we communicate. Serifs commemorate type's heritage as we march toward a more digital future.