All articles tagged with #ancient engineering
Researchers uncovered a well-preserved Roman construction site in Pompeii revealing that Romans used a 'hot mixing' process with volcanic ash and quicklime to create durable, self-healing concrete, challenging previous beliefs and offering insights for modern sustainable infrastructure development.
A team of researchers has demonstrated that the giant moai statues on Easter Island were moved into place by a 'walking' method using ropes, overturning previous theories. They confirmed this through experiments with replicas and analysis of ancient roads, showing that the statues could be rocked upright and guided along specially designed paths, reflecting the ingenuity and resourcefulness of the islanders. This discovery highlights the advanced engineering and cultural significance behind the statues, emphasizing human innovation in the face of resource limitations.
Scientists have demonstrated that the moai statues of Easter Island were likely moved using a 'walking' method with ropes, supported by 3D models and field experiments, challenging previous theories and aligning with local oral traditions.
A decade-long study confirms that the moai statues of Easter Island were moved using a 'walking' technique, involving rocking the statues along specially designed roads, challenging previous theories of dragging and highlighting the ingenuity of Rapa Nui society.
Researchers from Mainz, Oxford, and Innsbruck used carbonate deposits to uncover the complex history of Arles' Roman aqueduct system, confirming its long-term use, multiple phases of construction and repair, and its role in supplying water to the Baths of Constantine, revealing advanced and sustainable ancient water management practices.
Researchers have discovered that Neanderthals likely engineered a type of glue from ocher and bitumen to create handles for stone tools, shedding light on their complex thinking patterns. The artifacts, found in a French archaeological site, were recently rediscovered in a Berlin museum and date back between 40,000 and 60,000 years. The study, published in Science Advances, suggests that Neanderthals were capable of creating materials according to their needs and challenges the popular stereotype of them as primitive beings.
Researchers from MIT have discovered the secret behind the durability of ancient Roman concrete. Contrary to previous beliefs, the team found that the Romans used a technique called "hot mixing," which involved directly mixing quicklime with pozzolana and water at high temperatures. This method resulted in the formation of lime clasts, which gave the concrete remarkable self-healing abilities. When cracks formed, water reacted with the lime clasts to form calcium carbonate, effectively gluing the crack back together. The team is now working on commercializing this more durable concrete as an environmentally friendly alternative.