Let's have a look at 9
super-advanced lost technologies from our past
1. Antikythera
mechanism (world’s first calculator
2. Damascus
steel (ancient nanotechnology
3. Vitreum
flexile (unbreakable glass)
4. Mithridatium
(magical potion)
5. Greek
fire (weapon)
6. Brihadisvara
temple (a temple made without any cement)
7. Pyramids
(ancient air conditioners) (pyramids are more mysterious than you think)
8. Iron
pillar of Delhi (non-rusting iron)
9. Baghdad
batteries (ancient cells)
Lets elaborate these a
bit
#1 Antikythera
mechanism (world’s first calculator)
· Antikythera
is an island in Greece
· divers,
in 1901, found an analog computer there
v the
purpose of this computer was unknown to scientists for years
v but recent researches say that it was used to find the position of
planets, eclipses and other astronomical purposes
NOTE-all this
was done with this analog computer for decades, and that took 2000 years ago.
#2 Damascus steel (ancient nanotechnology)
Damascus steel was used to make swards in the ancient Middle
Eastern regions
· this
steel is known for its strength and accuracy
· it can
even cut a riffle barrel or cut a falling hair
o a
research in at Germany in 2006 found-
o the
properties of Damascus steel is attributed to nanowires and carbon nanotubes,
This steel is distinguished by the unique pattern of mottling
reminiscent of flowing water or a teardrop pattern
We have steels that can outperform Damascus steel
But we still don’t know how to make Damascus steel
NOTE-Damascus
steel was called so, probably because it was made or sold in Damascus (capital
of Syria)
Or
possibly because the pattern on steel resembles with damask fabric.
#3 vitreum flexile (unbreakable glass)
At some point of time, it’s quite likely that you broke your the phone’s screen and wished for an unbreakable glass
A similar kind of glass existed in 14-37 AD Rome
· the craftsman who invented it made a bowl out of this glass and brought it to the
king
· the king
tried to break it, but the glass dented, instead of shattering
· the king
feared that this material would undermine the value of gold and silver
· The king
beheaded the craftsman because of this fear.
#4 Mithridatium (magical potion)
King mithridates created an antidote for almost all types of
poisons, from spiders, scorpions to snakes
This antidote consisted of around 73 ingredients
After the king died everyone tried to translate the antidote’s
recipe into various languages
But with every translation the original recipe underwent changes
And ultimately the original recipe was lost with time.
#5 Greek fire (weapon)
There are chances that you would have seen some cartoons or movies
in which people emit fire from their hands or from any object, burning a lot of
things
Such kind of weapons was actually used by ancient Greeks 1300
years ago
· the
Greeks used them to burn their enemies
· this weapon was so advanced that using it Greeks could even set fire in waters
· To
prevent someone from stealing their weapon, they always kept it top secret.
#6 Brihadisvara temple (a
temple made without any cement)
Brihadisvara temple is a temple situated in the Indian state of
Tamil Nadu
· the most
astonishing fact about this temple is that it is made without using any kind of
cement or binding material
· the
blocks of stones are joined simply by interlocking between them
· this
temple is made up in about 45 acres and is more than 215 feet tall
· making
this huge temple, that too in 1010 AD, certainly involved a technology which is
now lost with time
· An interesting fact about this temple is that it is having an 80 tons stone kept
at the temple’s top
NOTE-carrying
an 80 tons weight to 215ft high is quite difficult even with the use of modern
technology
#7 Pyramids (ancient air
conditioners)
The pyramids of Giza have a lot of secrets and mysteries
One of which is that the temperature inside the great pyramids is
maintained at 20 degrees (Celsius), regardless of the temperature outside the
pyramids
Moreover, the pyramid masonry appears to be machined rather than
built by hammer and chisel
Building such a sophisticated architecture certainly involved an
advanced technology
#8 Iron pillar of Delhi
(non-rusting iron)
The iron pillar in the Indian capital Delhi is known for not
rusting even after 1500 years of creation
· the
reason for iron not rusting for so long is that there is a protective passive
film on iron, which formed naturally
· this
protective film was made by the presence of second-phase particles and high
amounts of phosphorus in the microstructure of iron
· With
alternate drying and wetting under atmospheric conditions, this film was
developed.
#9 Baghdad batteries (ancient
cells)
Baghdad batteries consist of 3 artefacts:
· a ceramic
pot
· a tube of
copper
· an iron
rod
This can make up a battery capable of delivering 1 volt of
electricity
The purpose of this battery is unclear as there were no electrical
devices in medieval times
So all we know are theories predicting and suggesting alternate
uses of this battery.
Conclusion-
I personally believe that ancient technology was way more advanced
then our present technology
We are quite unfortunate, we lost some of these advanced gadgets
So
Which was your favourite from this list?
Do you know any other interesting facts about ancient technology?
Head over to the comments, to let me know!
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