How Ancient Mechanics Thought About Machines

friedo writes "The NYTimes has an interesting piece about Prof. Mark Schiefsky, a Harvard classicist with an interest in the history of science. Schiefsky pores over ancient texts in Greek, Latin, and Arabic to decipher the origin of knowledge that's been taken for granted for millennia. For example, a Greek treatise published a generation before Archimedes' proofs of the lever laws explains why, if you were a galley slave, you'd want to work the oars near the center of the ship instead of closer to the hull."

Comments

Re:Library of Alexandria

[zappepcs]

and extrapolating from your comment, rather non-linearly, not having net-neutrality is today's equivalent to the burning of the Library at Alexandria. Well, sort of. Censorship at its worst in both cases IMO. Regardless of your own opinions, it must be admitted that censorship robs society of its best resource.

That burning might be said to have been the point of the spear that was the dark ages. I wonder if we learned anything?

Ugggg Foood Woooman Other Side River!

[syousef]

Me make tree fall. Cross river. Get food and sex.