All articles tagged with #ancient technology
A revived debate over the Baghdad battery: a 2,000-year-old artifact might have functioned as a galvanic cell producing about 1.4 volts, according to a new reconstruction, but many archaeologists remain skeptical, suggesting the jar was likely a sacred object for storing prayers with iron nails used in ritual, and the original artifact is lost, leaving room for interpretation.
New computer simulations and CT imaging suggest the Antikythera Mechanism may have jammed within months due to spacing errors and corrosion, implying reliability limits—not just precision—limited its long‑term ability to track lunar/solar cycles, with gear spacing mattering most and gear tooth shape playing a smaller role.
Ancient hunter-gatherers around 16,000 years ago risked their lives exploring a difficult cave in the French Pyrenees, possibly for ritualistic shaman training, as evidenced by intricate paintings and tools found deep within the site, suggesting a complex cultural practice.
A 65,000-year-old Neanderthal tar distillation oven has been discovered in Gibraltar's Vanguard Cave, showcasing advanced manufacturing techniques. This find, led by the University of Murcia, reveals that Neanderthals used a specialized hearth to produce tar from resin-rich plants, predating similar human techniques by over 100,000 years. The study highlights Neanderthals' cognitive complexity and technological prowess, challenging outdated stereotypes of them as primitive. Experimental archaeology confirmed the hearth's purpose by successfully replicating tar production using ancient methods.
Researchers have discovered that two corroded artifacts from the Treasure of Villena, a Bronze Age cache in Spain, are made from meteoritic iron, suggesting advanced metalworking techniques in Iberia over 3,000 years ago. The iron bracelet and hollow hemisphere, initially puzzling due to their ferrous appearance, were tested and found to contain high nickel content, indicative of meteoritic origin. This aligns them with the rest of the collection, dating back to 1400-1200 BCE, and marks them as the first known meteoritic iron artifacts in the Iberian Peninsula.
A 1,000-year-old astrolabe, resembling a large pocket watch, was discovered in Verona, Italy, shedding light on the scientific exchange between Muslims, Jews, and Christians over nearly a millennium. The relic, believed to have originated in 11th century Andalusia, shows evidence of modifications and adaptations as it changed hands, including translations of Arabic zodiac signs into Hebrew. The astrolabe's inscriptions indicate its use in Spain, North Africa, and eventually within the Jewish diaspora in Italy, highlighting its role as a record of cultural and scientific collaboration.
A 40,000-year-old multi-compound adhesive found on Neanderthal-made stone tools suggests that Neanderthals were more intelligent than previously thought. The adhesive, made of bitumen and ocher, resembles those used by early Homo sapiens in Africa, indicating a similar level of cognition. Chemical analyses of the tools from the Le Moustier site in France revealed traces of both ocher and bitumen, suggesting forward-planning and imagination in the Neanderthals' cognitive processes. The adhesive likely served as a grip for stone tools, showcasing a technical solution similar to early modern humans in Africa but with a Neanderthal "spin."
The Treasure of Villena, a significant hoard of gold from the European Bronze Age, has been found to contain metal from a meteorite that crashed onto Earth one million years ago, according to a new study. The analysis focused on two iron pieces dating back to 1,400-1,200 BC, revealing traces of iron-nickel alloy comparable to those found in meteoric iron. This discovery suggests that ancient people had to innovate and develop new technology to work with meteoric iron, marking the first and oldest meteor iron objects found in the Iberian Peninsula.
Palworld's Technology tree contains a wide range of unlockable items to aid players in their adventure, with some parts of the tree hidden until specific conditions are met. As players level up, new items become available, and Technology Points can be spent to unlock crafting recipes. The Ancient Technology tree offers rarer items that require Ancient Technology Points and materials like Ancient Civilization Parts to unlock and craft, adding an extra layer of complexity to the game.
The map of Palworld consists of a vast archipelago with different biomes, each hosting various Pals to catch, Great Eagle Statues for fast travel, and Seals with mini-bosses. The biomes include Forest, Volcano, Snow, and Desert, each requiring specific gear and Pals to navigate and capture. There are five Towers representing major boss fights and mini-boss encounters across all regions, rewarding players with Ancient Technology Points and Ancient Civilization Parts essential for crafting key items.
Scientists from University College London have reconstructed the front panel of the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient hand-powered instrument discovered in 1901 on a Roman-era shipwreck in Greece. The device was a remarkable time-keeping device, using a wing-up system to track the sun and planets meticulously, and also functioned as a calendar, accurately monitoring the phases of the moon and eclipses. The Antikythera computer was far ahead of its time, and its technical sophistication surpassed any other tool or invention for the subsequent millennium.
The Antikythera mechanism, a 2,000-year-old astronomical calendar discovered in a Greek shipwreck, has left scientists baffled due to its technical sophistication. The hand-powered time-keeping instrument tracks the sun, moon, and planets' celestial time, as well as the moon's phases and timing of eclipses. Despite being technically behind, the device was a "creation of genius" and capable of tracking far more than expected. The device is currently in 82 separate fragments, but experts at University College London used 3D modeling to solve the mystery of how it worked.
Scientists have been amazed by the discovery of the Antikythera mechanism, a 2,000-year-old astronomical calendar that is more technically sophisticated than any other tool invented over the next 1,000 years. The device, dubbed "the first computer," was discovered inside a Greek shipwreck in 1901 and is a hand-powered time-keeping instrument that used a wing-up system to track the sun, moon and planets' celestial time. Despite being in 82 separate fragments, 3D computer modelling has helped experts at University College London solve the mystery of how the device worked, revealing a "creation of genius."
Many ancient structures such as palaces, temples, and monuments leave us in awe of the engineering, architectural feats, and ancient technology of our ancestors. Despite our modern technology, many of the techniques used by our ancient ancestors remain a mystery to us. However, some ancient technologies have been decoded and understood in more recent times, showing that even thousands of years later, we are still learning from the innovations of our ancestors, and their technological wonders continue to surprise and fascinate us.