The “philosopher’s stone”
- KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Robotics
- computing mechanisms
- Automation & Programming
- Telecommunication
- CRYPTOGRAPHY
- astronomy
- AUTOMOTION & AUTOMATIC NAVIGATION
- Steam mobility
- Jet Propulsion
- RELIGIOUS TECHNOLOGY
- “PNEUMATIC” AUTOMATA
- MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
- TOOLS & MACHINES
- GEODESY & CARTOGRAPHY
- timekeeping
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- MILITARY TECHNOLOGY
- ATHLETIC TECHNOLOGY
- Strategy & showing games
- MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
- HYDRAULIC TECHNOLOGY
- NAVAL TECHNOLOGY
- TEXTILE TECHNOLOGY
- ancient theatre technology
- AGRICULTURAL TECHNOLOGY
- The Measurements of Man
- PULLING MACHINES
- KINEMATIC MECHANISMS
- WIND & HYDRAULIC ENERGY
- MATERIAL TECHNOLOGY
- MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
The “philosopher’s stone” of Heron - 1st c. A.D.
It was an amazing invention of Heron of Alexandria that ostensibly “changed” one liquid into another, for example water into wine. It consisted of an empty airtight water vessel, which at the top had a tubular opening where water entered and reached the bottom, and of an airtight wine vessel, which in the middle had a tap in a siphon shape. The two vessels were connected by an intermediate small tube that entered the bottom and reached close to their top. When a certain amount of water was poured into the first vessel, the air inside went through the intermediate tube to the second vessel, pushing out the equal amount of wine. (The tube disposition did not allow the mixing of liquids).
SOURCE: Heron of Alexandria, Pneumatics.