[ieatyourlvllol]

^Pretty much

Originally Posted by devonin

The man learned from Scotty, Scotty learned from the man, but at no point in the process did anybody actually -invent- transparent aluminum. They've created knowledge from void.

Though since past invariably precedes present, the man could be said to have been (on the timeline) the prior possessor of the knowledge. Unfortunately, because that characteristic is a product of time-based influence, the information paradox that results ultimately leads into a question akin to the classic "chicken or egg?"

So it's quite possible that a great deal of the knowledge that mankind has already garnered was brought to us by future parties, though one might find it strange that there really never is much historical mention of outsiders (obviously not of the time) who just spontaneously introduced new information. Still, that might simply be due to careful monitoring of changes carried in such a way that the possibility of time travel is never brought into clearer view. And according to the causality paradox, if time travel really can be achieved, there has to have indeed been regulation of some sort.