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WILLIAM SHATNER: A
mysterious Roman chalice
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transformed by light.
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A blazing inferno
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wielded by ancient armies.
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And a 2,000-year-old artifact
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that may have
generated electricity.
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Today, we tend to
think that modern society
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stands at the pinnacle
of technological ingenuity.
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But is that entirely true?
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The historical
record has revealed
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numerous ancient innovations
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that were centuries
ahead of their time,
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including earthquake detectors,
schematics for flying machines
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and weapons of mass destruction.
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Is it possible that
our ancient ancestors
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were far more advanced
than we realize?
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Well, that is what
we'll try and find out.
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? ?
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SHATNER: Within this
modern city lie the ruins
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of what was once the
capital of the Roman Empire.
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For centuries, Rome was the
most sophisticated metropolis
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in the ancient world.
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And Roman engineers
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also built
breathtaking structures
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throughout Europe
and the Mediterranean,
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many of which can
still be seen today.
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These engineering marvels
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have endured the ravages
of time for nearly 2,000 years,
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and stand as magnificent
monuments to Roman ingenuity.
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The Romans were certainly
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the most brilliant engineers
of the ancient world.
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When we think of Rome today,
we think of the Colosseum,
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we think of the aqueducts,
we think of triumphal arches.
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All of them are an emblem
of Roman civilization.
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They could discern
effective technologies
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and then exploit them
to a much greater extent
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than anyone ever
imagined previously.
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SHATNER: The
engineering achievements
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of ancient Rome are well known
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and continue to capture
people's imagination.
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But is it possible
that the Romans
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were even more advanced
than most of us realize?
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And could they have
possessed technology
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that rivals our own?
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The curator of the
Gallo-Roman Museum
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announces an extremely
rare archaeological discovery.
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Using a metal detector,
a local hobbyist unearthed
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a fragment of an
ancient Roman artifact.
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This tiny piece of
bronze was once part
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of a mysterious object known
as a Roman dodecahedron.
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STEPHEN BULL: Any discovery
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of a Roman dodecahedron
is remarkable and unusual,
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because there's not many
more than 100 known to exist.
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Generally, a dodecahedron
is a 12-sided item,
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and the Roman dodecahedron
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was about the size of a
baseball and had 12 sides.
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They were hollow
inside and multifaceted,
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with different balls or spikes
around the outside of them,
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which are very
difficult to create
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through molding or construction.
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SUVEEN MATHAUDHU: Roman dodecahedrons
have been found all over Europe,
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and nobody knows for
sure how they were made.
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The craftsmanship
that it would take
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to make a bronze
Roman dodecahedron
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would have been very challenging
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for a metal artisan
to make at the time.
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So, it could have
been an example
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of the skill of an artisan
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to show, like, "Look
what I can do,"
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because it was very complex
and bronze was not cheap.
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SHATNER: Historians theorize
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that Roman engineers may
have fashioned dodecahedrons
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using a sophisticated
molding process.
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But why did the Romans
go to such lengths
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to craft so many intricate
and peculiar pieces of bronze?
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What purpose could these
strange dodecahedrons
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have possibly served?
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What's strange about them
is that there is no record
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of what they were used for.
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And it's still quite a puzzle
and a mystery to historians,
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what function they
actually served.
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However, there's a number of
uses that have been proposed,
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from tools in
astronomical calculations
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to candleholders,
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as well as implements
in religious performances.
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What they are has been
disputed many times.
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And I do veer towards the
very practical explanation,
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and that is that it was
a sort of knitting device,
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because if you put yarn
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around the various protrusions
on the dodecahedron,
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you can create a sleeve
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or a tube of knitted fabric.
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In theory, that is
something really practical
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because some Roman garments
are depicted with sleeves.
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There is still a huge
amount of mystery
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around these very
peculiar objects.
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But one of the most
popular theories
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is that it had a more
mystical function.
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Perhaps it was
used in divination
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or sorcery or fortune-telling.
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Some historians wonder
whether these objects
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were used for forbidden rituals.
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Now, if these were indeed
tools for the so-called dark arts,
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this raises the question,
is this part of the reason
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why there are no
records explaining
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what this dodecahedron
was used for?
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SHATNER: Whether Roman
dodecahedrons were used during rituals
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or for more pragmatic purposes,
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they remain a
fascinating enigma,
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and suggest that the
Romans' craftsmanship
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was far ahead of their time.
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Not unlike another artifact
from ancient Rome...
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A one-of-a-kind
chalice that features
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extraordinary properties.
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On a pedestal in
the British Museum
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sits an ornate and
mystifying Roman artifact
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that is known as
the Lycurgus Cup.
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KAROL WIGHT: The Lycurgus Cup
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is an incredible work
of ancient Roman art
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that dates to the fourth
and fifth centuries AD.
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It's incredible because
it's part of a rare body
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of ancient glass
vessels called cage cups.
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Cage cups were
manufactured by a master carver
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who very carefully diagrammed
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the design he wanted
to cut into the glass
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and then very carefully
executed that cutting.
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And then that piece of glass
was connected to the inner wall
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of the cup, which is why
they're called cage cups.
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And the Lycurgus Cup is
one of these rare examples
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that were very carefully made,
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and only made in
very small quantities.
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SHATNER:
According to historians,
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the cup depicts a mythical
ruler named Lycurgus,
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and the artifact
most likely belonged
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to an Ancient Roman nobleman
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who would have used
the chalice to sip wine.
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But what's most remarkable
about the Lycurgus Cup
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is what happens to it
when light hits the glass.
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WIGHT: The Lycurgus Cup
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is made with a
very special glass
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that's called dichroic glass.
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And what that means is
that when light is bouncing off
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the outside of the glass,
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the color of the cup appears
to be an olive green color.
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But when the light is
passing through the glass
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from the interior
through to the exterior,
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the glass looks a reddish color.
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The Lycurgus Cup is
quite an intriguing artifact
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because it's really
one of a kind.
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The fact that it has these
very unique material properties
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suggested it may have had
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some kind of ritualistic
or ceremonial function
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and perhaps that interplay
between light and color
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may have added some
mystique or intrigue
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around these rituals
that took place.
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SHATNER: How did
the ancient Romans
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create a chalice with such
mesmerizing optical properties?
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It's a fascinating mystery.
And in recent years,
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experts have
discovered that the key
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to the Lycurgus
Cup's unique effect
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is actually invisible
to the naked eye.
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The secret to the
optical behavior
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of the Lycurgus
Cup lies in the fact
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that there was nanoparticles
of silver and gold
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embedded in the glass that
changed the optical properties.
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This was one of the earliest...
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If not the earliest... examples
of a nanocomposite material.
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It's possible that the Romans
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might have created
this cup by accident.
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That it might have
been a contamination
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at the site of where a
glass cup was being made.
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But it is also possible
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that they knew about this
technology of nanoparticles.
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And this knowledge
might have been employed
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and used in the
creation of this cup.
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The history of the Lycurgus
Cup is shrouded in mystery.
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But the glass was created
by these ancient craftspeople
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and has survived to this day.
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It's a Roman technology
that has stood the test of time.
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SHATNER: Does the
Lycurgus Cup prove
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that the Romans had
a deeper understanding
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of science and technology
than we commonly think?
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It's a fascinating possibility.
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And perhaps further evidence
of ancient sophistication
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can be found by examining
a devastating weapon of war
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can be found by examining
a devastating weapon of war
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that was known as Greek fire.
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SHATNER: For four long years,
Arab forces have laid siege to
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the capital of the
Byzantine Empire.
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But then the Byzantines
risk a daring counterattack
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and unleash a
devastating inferno.
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Streams of flame shoot
out from Byzantine vessels,
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lighting the water on fire
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and incinerating the Arab ships.
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This fearsome weapon would
come to be known as Greek fire.
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GILLAN: Greek fire was one of the
most formidable weapons of its era.
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Imagine your ship suddenly
being engulfed in flames
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that were almost
impossible to extinguish.
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Not only was there this
immense physical danger
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but there was also a
massive psychological impact.
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The loud roar of the
flames... The sight of it,
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the sound of it...
Was really enough
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to put terror into
these Arab forces.
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BULL: At sea, Greek
fire was very useful
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because if there's something
a mariner really has a fear of,
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it's being set
light to on a ship.
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Because there's nowhere to go.
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And so, Greek fire had
a terrifying aspect to it,
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setting light to ships
and burning people.
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SHATNER: Throughout the
Middle Ages, the Byzantine Empire
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used Greek fire to strike fear
into the hearts of fighting men.
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But how did the
Byzantines develop
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such a powerful weapon
of mass destruction?
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00:12:48,250 --> 00:12:50,500
RESSLER: Greek
fire acquired its name
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simply because the
Byzantines spoke Greek.
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It was quite mysterious
because it was
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very quickly established
as a state secret
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00:12:57,333 --> 00:12:58,833
of the Byzantine Empire.
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00:12:58,958 --> 00:13:04,083
So we don't have a really
good, clear idea of what
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00:13:04,292 --> 00:13:08,500
its constituents were or
precisely how it operated.
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00:13:08,625 --> 00:13:12,167
But we do know that it was a
very effective weapons system.
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00:13:14,125 --> 00:13:15,628
SHATNER: While the
exact formula of Greek fire
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00:13:15,708 --> 00:13:17,625
may be lost to history,
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00:13:17,792 --> 00:13:20,375
experts have proposed
several theories
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00:13:20,542 --> 00:13:24,292
regarding the composition
of this fiery concoction.
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00:13:25,375 --> 00:13:28,875
RESSLER: Most scholars agree
that the basic constituent materials
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were probably naphtha,
a naturally occurring
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hydrocarbon, mixed
with pine resin.
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00:13:36,833 --> 00:13:39,042
The naphtha provided
the flammability
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00:13:39,208 --> 00:13:42,875
and the pine resin
thickened the substance
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00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,875
and caused it to burn longer
once it had been ignited.
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00:13:48,042 --> 00:13:52,292
The secret to Greek fire
being used on water is probably
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00:13:52,458 --> 00:13:55,625
the addition of quicklime,
which likely gave it
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00:13:55,792 --> 00:13:59,500
an explosive quality
that allowed it to burn
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00:13:59,667 --> 00:14:02,750
and have much more
damage on water.
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00:14:03,792 --> 00:14:07,458
In fact, the water played a
role in perpetuating the reaction
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00:14:07,625 --> 00:14:10,875
and causing the
burning to increase.
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00:14:11,042 --> 00:14:14,167
There is certainly speculation
as to the different recipes
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00:14:14,375 --> 00:14:17,833
for Greek fire, but it
would be very difficult to say
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00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:23,625
what the classic
Greek fire actually is.
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00:14:23,792 --> 00:14:27,667
And nobody has
actually recreated it
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00:14:27,833 --> 00:14:29,625
with perfect accuracy.
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00:14:30,708 --> 00:14:33,500
SHATNER: It seems that,
just as the Byzantines intended,
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00:14:33,583 --> 00:14:37,792
the mystery of Greek
fire may never be solved.
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00:14:37,958 --> 00:14:41,500
But there's another enigmatic
weapon from antiquity
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00:14:41,708 --> 00:14:44,208
that experts can
examine more closely
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00:14:44,375 --> 00:14:49,292
because its secrets
are preserved in steel.
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00:14:54,208 --> 00:14:57,000
For eight long months,
European Crusader Knights,
249
00:14:57,125 --> 00:14:58,917
on a quest to
conquer the Holy Land,
250
00:14:59,042 --> 00:15:02,792
lay siege to this
Middle Eastern city.
251
00:15:02,917 --> 00:15:04,417
In the course of
the bloody fighting,
252
00:15:04,583 --> 00:15:07,667
the Crusaders encounter
numerous Muslim warriors
253
00:15:07,875 --> 00:15:11,292
who wield astonishing,
razor-sharp swords
254
00:15:11,458 --> 00:15:16,375
that are forged from steel
that seems to be unbreakable.
255
00:15:16,542 --> 00:15:19,333
The European invaders
named these fearsome weapons
256
00:15:19,542 --> 00:15:23,208
after a nearby city,
and thus, the blades
257
00:15:23,375 --> 00:15:28,167
became known as Damascus swords.
258
00:15:28,250 --> 00:15:32,792
For the time, the properties
of the Damascus blades
259
00:15:32,917 --> 00:15:35,042
bordered on the edge of magic.
260
00:15:35,167 --> 00:15:38,625
Damascus swords
had extraordinary,
261
00:15:38,750 --> 00:15:41,833
legendary performance
because of their sharpness,
262
00:15:42,042 --> 00:15:44,167
compared to some of
the materials at the time.
263
00:15:44,375 --> 00:15:46,833
They were ten times
as hard on the edge.
264
00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:49,458
They were also
highly superplastic,
265
00:15:49,625 --> 00:15:53,250
meaning that they could
bend extremely and still
266
00:15:53,417 --> 00:15:55,625
spring back into
the original shape.
267
00:15:55,792 --> 00:15:59,417
And this was something that
was observed by the Crusaders.
268
00:15:59,542 --> 00:16:01,333
They saw these
blades that they claimed
269
00:16:01,417 --> 00:16:04,125
could bend 90
degrees, that could
270
00:16:04,292 --> 00:16:06,542
cut silk in half in
the middle of the air.
271
00:16:06,708 --> 00:16:10,708
For anyone who was in a
fight against a Damascus blade,
272
00:16:10,917 --> 00:16:14,625
the behavior of that
sword would have been
273
00:16:14,833 --> 00:16:16,417
mind-blowing to observe.
274
00:16:17,625 --> 00:16:20,292
SHATNER: More than 500 years
after the end of the Crusades,
275
00:16:20,458 --> 00:16:22,875
the remarkable properties
of Damascus swords
276
00:16:23,042 --> 00:16:26,583
continue to inspire
fascination and mystery.
277
00:16:26,750 --> 00:16:28,667
What made these ancient blades
278
00:16:28,792 --> 00:16:31,958
so exceptionally
strong and flexible?
279
00:16:32,125 --> 00:16:34,167
And how were they created?
280
00:16:34,333 --> 00:16:36,667
Curiously, the
answer can be found
281
00:16:36,875 --> 00:16:39,708
not in the city of
Damascus, but rather,
282
00:16:39,875 --> 00:16:44,667
3,000 miles away, in India.
283
00:16:44,875 --> 00:16:46,333
MATHAUDHU: In southern India,
284
00:16:46,500 --> 00:16:48,625
they developed the steel
that was used, eventually,
285
00:16:48,792 --> 00:16:51,333
to make Damascus
swords and blades.
286
00:16:52,417 --> 00:16:56,292
The legends of Indian steel
go back to ancient times.
287
00:16:56,417 --> 00:17:00,500
Over time, via trade routes
around the Arabian Sea,
288
00:17:00,708 --> 00:17:05,000
the Indians were able to move
those materials into Persia,
289
00:17:05,167 --> 00:17:08,333
and that became the center
of trade from which Indian steel
290
00:17:08,542 --> 00:17:11,042
got distributed to
the rest of the world.
291
00:17:11,208 --> 00:17:14,167
SHATNER: It's fascinating
to think that the legendary
292
00:17:14,375 --> 00:17:18,167
Damascus swords trace
their origins back to India.
293
00:17:18,333 --> 00:17:20,708
But how did Indian craftsmen
294
00:17:20,875 --> 00:17:24,250
create such incredible steel?
295
00:17:24,417 --> 00:17:27,833
What did they know that
the rest of the world didn't?
296
00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,792
MATHAUDHU: One of the
keys to making high-quality steel
297
00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,167
is getting the
material to be very hot,
298
00:17:34,333 --> 00:17:36,500
typically thousands of degrees,
299
00:17:36,708 --> 00:17:39,167
and that was very
difficult in ancient times.
300
00:17:39,292 --> 00:17:42,083
But in India, they had
developed technologies
301
00:17:42,250 --> 00:17:44,167
where they were able
to use monsoon winds
302
00:17:44,375 --> 00:17:46,958
to fuel these fires
303
00:17:47,042 --> 00:17:48,750
and get them to very
high temperatures.
304
00:17:49,917 --> 00:17:52,417
SHATNER: The idea that the
strength of Damascus swords
305
00:17:52,583 --> 00:17:56,625
was forged in the intense
flames of Indian fires is intriguing,
306
00:17:56,750 --> 00:18:00,250
but it doesn't completely
solve the mystery.
307
00:18:00,417 --> 00:18:02,667
Because even with
today's powerful furnaces,
308
00:18:02,833 --> 00:18:08,000
experts still cannot precisely
recreate Damascus swords.
309
00:18:08,208 --> 00:18:10,375
And according to one
theory, the secret may lie
310
00:18:10,542 --> 00:18:14,000
in the raw material
Indian craftsmen used
311
00:18:14,167 --> 00:18:16,583
to fashion their steel.
312
00:18:16,792 --> 00:18:19,917
Iron ores vary tremendously
from place to place.
313
00:18:20,083 --> 00:18:22,208
No two ores are exactly alike.
314
00:18:23,583 --> 00:18:28,333
One theory is that there just
happened to be an iron ore
315
00:18:28,542 --> 00:18:31,333
with just the right
chemical properties,
316
00:18:31,542 --> 00:18:34,375
that happened to
be available in India,
317
00:18:34,542 --> 00:18:37,500
and this was the
real basis for the very
318
00:18:37,667 --> 00:18:41,458
high-quality steel that was
produced from that material.
319
00:18:42,792 --> 00:18:46,333
RESSLER: The reason that the
secret to Damascus steel was lost
320
00:18:46,500 --> 00:18:48,583
is that the ore sources ran out,
321
00:18:48,750 --> 00:18:52,167
and so we can't know
the individual elements
322
00:18:52,333 --> 00:18:53,667
that were in those iron ores.
323
00:18:53,875 --> 00:18:57,542
There is no way for us
to go back in and recreate
324
00:18:57,750 --> 00:19:02,167
the magic that they had done
with those original swords.
325
00:19:02,333 --> 00:19:05,333
While we may never
know how ancient armies
326
00:19:05,542 --> 00:19:10,667
created inextinguishable
flames or unbreakable swords,
327
00:19:10,792 --> 00:19:12,170
we do know that these
extraordinary weapons
328
00:19:12,250 --> 00:19:13,378
we do know that these
extraordinary weapons
329
00:19:13,458 --> 00:19:17,167
struck fear into the
hearts of their enemies.
330
00:19:18,167 --> 00:19:21,000
But not all ancient technology
331
00:19:21,167 --> 00:19:23,167
was designed to
be used in battle.
332
00:19:23,333 --> 00:19:25,417
For instance, archaeologists
333
00:19:25,583 --> 00:19:29,333
unearthed what appeared
to be merely a small clay jar,
334
00:19:29,458 --> 00:19:31,167
but it may have actually been
335
00:19:31,375 --> 00:19:34,667
the world's first battery.
336
00:19:42,667 --> 00:19:46,250
SHATNER: In the basement
of the National Museum of Iraq,
337
00:19:46,417 --> 00:19:49,542
the director of the
museum, Wilhelm K�nig,
338
00:19:49,708 --> 00:19:51,792
stumbles upon
three small artifacts
339
00:19:51,917 --> 00:19:55,708
that an archaeological team
unearthed two years earlier.
340
00:19:57,083 --> 00:20:00,083
He finds a
five-inch-tall clay pot,
341
00:20:00,250 --> 00:20:03,708
a copper cylinder
and an iron rod.
342
00:20:03,875 --> 00:20:07,417
K�nig dates the objects
to roughly 2,000 years ago.
343
00:20:07,542 --> 00:20:09,542
But what's more incredible
344
00:20:09,667 --> 00:20:14,167
is that he theorizes that these
seemingly unremarkable items
345
00:20:14,333 --> 00:20:17,167
might have been
designed to work together
346
00:20:17,333 --> 00:20:21,542
to form an ancient
piece of technology.
347
00:20:21,708 --> 00:20:24,667
Two years later, K�nig
publishes his autobiography
348
00:20:24,875 --> 00:20:28,167
in which he announces his
stunning claim to the world.
349
00:20:28,333 --> 00:20:32,292
He argues that
these three artifacts
350
00:20:32,458 --> 00:20:36,583
may have actually been
the world's first battery.
351
00:20:36,750 --> 00:20:38,753
MICHAEL DENNIN: When
you look at the Baghdad Battery,
352
00:20:38,833 --> 00:20:42,375
it does have the key
components of making a battery,
353
00:20:42,542 --> 00:20:44,542
which is it has two metals
of different properties.
354
00:20:44,667 --> 00:20:48,125
Those are your positive and
negative electrodes, and then
355
00:20:48,333 --> 00:20:51,458
you need a material
between them that allows for
356
00:20:51,625 --> 00:20:53,583
the flow of charge to occur.
357
00:20:53,750 --> 00:20:55,833
That could have been
something as simple as
358
00:20:55,958 --> 00:20:59,542
vinegar or wine or lemon juice.
359
00:20:59,708 --> 00:21:01,667
And so it is
completely reasonable,
360
00:21:01,833 --> 00:21:03,042
with these components,
361
00:21:03,208 --> 00:21:04,378
to presume that
it might have been
362
00:21:04,458 --> 00:21:06,250
a battery of some type.
363
00:21:07,250 --> 00:21:08,708
SHATNER: Is it possible
364
00:21:08,875 --> 00:21:11,667
that the so-called
Baghdad Battery really was
365
00:21:11,875 --> 00:21:14,250
an ancient source
of electricity?
366
00:21:15,583 --> 00:21:17,500
It's a fascinating theory,
367
00:21:17,708 --> 00:21:20,458
and modern scientists
have actually conducted tests
368
00:21:20,625 --> 00:21:23,708
to find out whether
it might be true.
369
00:21:23,833 --> 00:21:27,292
In 1940, an American by
the name of Willard Gray
370
00:21:27,417 --> 00:21:29,292
who worked for
371
00:21:29,458 --> 00:21:32,083
a General Electric
high voltage laboratory
372
00:21:32,250 --> 00:21:35,292
recreated the Baghdad Battery,
373
00:21:35,458 --> 00:21:39,167
and he was able to produce
about a one or two-volt charge.
374
00:21:39,333 --> 00:21:41,042
This is incredibly low.
375
00:21:41,208 --> 00:21:43,667
However, even at
this low-level charge,
376
00:21:43,875 --> 00:21:46,542
there are still potential
uses for this object.
377
00:21:46,708 --> 00:21:49,750
SHATNER: It's incredible that
modern scientists have verified
378
00:21:49,917 --> 00:21:51,667
that this ancient artifact
379
00:21:51,833 --> 00:21:54,083
could have actually
been a working battery.
380
00:21:55,333 --> 00:21:56,792
But what's even more astounding
381
00:21:56,917 --> 00:22:00,667
is that the Baghdad
Battery is strikingly similar
382
00:22:00,833 --> 00:22:03,167
to the first modern
battery that was invented
383
00:22:03,375 --> 00:22:05,667
in the 19th century.
384
00:22:06,708 --> 00:22:10,667
GILLAN: In 1800, the Italian
scientist Alessandro Volta developed
385
00:22:10,833 --> 00:22:15,292
the first modern battery,
which we call the voltaic pile.
386
00:22:15,458 --> 00:22:18,333
This was a groundbreaking
innovation because it was
387
00:22:18,458 --> 00:22:21,458
apparently the first time
that electricity could be
388
00:22:21,583 --> 00:22:23,667
produced and stored chemically.
389
00:22:24,708 --> 00:22:27,500
The voltaic pile consisted
of alternating layers
390
00:22:27,708 --> 00:22:30,792
of copper and zinc
with cardboard soaked
391
00:22:30,958 --> 00:22:33,750
in salt water in
between each layer,
392
00:22:33,917 --> 00:22:35,708
which is actually
remarkably similar
393
00:22:35,875 --> 00:22:39,125
to the materials used
for the Baghdad Battery.
394
00:22:39,250 --> 00:22:41,500
So the idea that an object
395
00:22:41,708 --> 00:22:43,667
that could have a similar
function as a battery
396
00:22:43,833 --> 00:22:47,250
existed 2,000 years
ago is astounding.
397
00:22:47,417 --> 00:22:48,667
And what it really shows us
398
00:22:48,792 --> 00:22:51,292
is that if it were
indeed a battery,
399
00:22:51,458 --> 00:22:54,875
ancient civilizations were
far ahead of their time.
400
00:22:55,042 --> 00:22:58,333
SHATNER: If the Baghdad
Battery was in fact a genuine piece
401
00:22:58,458 --> 00:23:00,625
of ancient technology,
402
00:23:00,792 --> 00:23:03,208
then it naturally
begs the question:
403
00:23:03,375 --> 00:23:05,042
what was it used for?
404
00:23:05,208 --> 00:23:06,625
DENNIN: One proposed use
405
00:23:06,833 --> 00:23:08,542
for the Baghdad
Battery is electroplating.
406
00:23:08,750 --> 00:23:11,042
Whether it's silver or
gold or other metals,
407
00:23:11,208 --> 00:23:12,792
onto jewelry.
408
00:23:12,958 --> 00:23:15,375
It's definitely a
possible use of it,
409
00:23:15,583 --> 00:23:17,167
but this would have
depended on exactly
410
00:23:17,292 --> 00:23:18,708
what electrolyte was used,
411
00:23:18,875 --> 00:23:20,542
how it was
connected to the metal
412
00:23:20,708 --> 00:23:22,542
to cause the electroplating.
413
00:23:22,708 --> 00:23:24,792
So it's not an
unreasonable assumption,
414
00:23:24,917 --> 00:23:26,795
but it would have taken
a little special engineering
415
00:23:26,875 --> 00:23:29,250
around the battery
itself to achieve that.
416
00:23:30,292 --> 00:23:32,542
GILLAN: Another theory
suggests that the Baghdad Battery
417
00:23:32,708 --> 00:23:34,958
was actually used
as a form of protection
418
00:23:35,125 --> 00:23:37,667
for sacred statues of the gods
419
00:23:37,833 --> 00:23:41,958
so that if anyone dared to
touch one of these sacred statues,
420
00:23:42,125 --> 00:23:44,958
they would have received
a mild electric shock
421
00:23:45,125 --> 00:23:47,667
from the Baghdad Battery.
422
00:23:48,542 --> 00:23:49,833
Another theory is
423
00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,500
that the Baghdad
Battery was actually used
424
00:23:52,708 --> 00:23:54,167
for medicinal purposes
425
00:23:54,250 --> 00:23:56,833
as a form of mild
electrotherapy.
426
00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:01,292
The Romans and Greeks
were actually using electric fish
427
00:24:01,458 --> 00:24:03,833
to create a form of pain relief.
428
00:24:03,958 --> 00:24:07,917
The ancient Egyptians
also used electric Nile catfish
429
00:24:08,083 --> 00:24:10,625
for treating certain
nerve disorders in people
430
00:24:10,750 --> 00:24:12,500
and also for pain relief.
431
00:24:12,667 --> 00:24:14,833
So it's not unheard
of to consider
432
00:24:15,000 --> 00:24:17,500
that the Baghdad Battery
could have been used
433
00:24:17,708 --> 00:24:19,250
for similar purposes.
434
00:24:20,417 --> 00:24:23,333
SHATNER: While it's fun to speculate
about how the Baghdad Battery
435
00:24:23,500 --> 00:24:25,583
may have been
used in ancient times,
436
00:24:25,750 --> 00:24:29,958
we may never unravel the
mystery of this curious artifact.
437
00:24:31,375 --> 00:24:37,000
Because, unfortunately, it has
once again been lost to history.
438
00:24:38,125 --> 00:24:43,500
GILLAN: In 2003, the National
Museum of Iraq was tragically ransacked
439
00:24:43,708 --> 00:24:45,583
in the chaotic aftermath
440
00:24:45,750 --> 00:24:48,333
of the U.S.-led
invasion of Iraq.
441
00:24:48,542 --> 00:24:51,583
The museum became
a target for looters.
442
00:24:51,708 --> 00:24:54,292
Among the relics
and precious artifacts
443
00:24:54,458 --> 00:24:56,708
that were stolen was
the Baghdad Battery.
444
00:24:57,708 --> 00:24:59,542
There's a lot more
research we could do
445
00:24:59,708 --> 00:25:02,375
to discover exactly
how it worked
446
00:25:02,542 --> 00:25:04,958
but we no longer
have that opportunity.
447
00:25:06,167 --> 00:25:10,333
COLLINS: Skeptics today
obviously dismiss the idea
448
00:25:10,458 --> 00:25:13,292
that the Baghdad Battery
was indeed a battery.
449
00:25:13,458 --> 00:25:15,417
However, the one thing we know
450
00:25:15,583 --> 00:25:18,333
is that the Baghdad
Battery works.
451
00:25:18,458 --> 00:25:20,167
It has been replicated
452
00:25:20,375 --> 00:25:22,042
again and again,
453
00:25:22,208 --> 00:25:24,292
and people have shown
454
00:25:24,458 --> 00:25:26,542
how it does generate current.
455
00:25:26,708 --> 00:25:29,333
And we have to accept
456
00:25:29,542 --> 00:25:32,167
that the ancients
had a technology
457
00:25:32,375 --> 00:25:36,792
which we only rediscovered
in more modern times.
458
00:25:38,417 --> 00:25:40,542
It's fascinating to think that,
459
00:25:40,708 --> 00:25:44,167
when it comes to
harnessing electricity,
460
00:25:44,333 --> 00:25:48,667
ancient people may not have
been completely in the dark.
461
00:25:48,833 --> 00:25:51,417
And there's another remarkable
invention from the past
462
00:25:51,583 --> 00:25:54,583
that also resembles
technology we have today.
463
00:25:54,792 --> 00:25:56,542
This ingenious device,
464
00:25:56,708 --> 00:25:59,750
which was created
nearly 2,000 years ago,
465
00:25:59,917 --> 00:26:01,833
could detect the
tremors of earthquakes
466
00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,042
from hundreds of miles away.
467
00:26:09,625 --> 00:26:10,962
SHATNER: Earthquakes...
they are perhaps
468
00:26:11,042 --> 00:26:14,625
the most terrifying
of natural disasters.
469
00:26:14,750 --> 00:26:17,000
Even today, with
modern technology,
470
00:26:17,208 --> 00:26:19,458
we struggle to
predict when or where
471
00:26:19,583 --> 00:26:22,083
an earthquake will strike.
472
00:26:22,208 --> 00:26:25,833
But once these forces
of nature are unleashed,
473
00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:29,958
experts can measure their
power using sensitive instruments
474
00:26:30,125 --> 00:26:34,792
called seismoscopes
and seismometers.
475
00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:37,750
CHARLES ADLER: When an earthquake
occurs, essentially, sound waves
476
00:26:37,875 --> 00:26:39,292
travel through the ground
477
00:26:39,417 --> 00:26:40,628
from the epicenter
of the earthquake
478
00:26:40,708 --> 00:26:42,625
and they rock the
ground back and forth.
479
00:26:42,833 --> 00:26:45,958
Modern seismometers
are built to pick up on that.
480
00:26:46,083 --> 00:26:49,083
And that's, in fact, how
we can detect earthquakes.
481
00:26:49,250 --> 00:26:51,833
SHATNER: Measuring earthquakes
immediately after they start
482
00:26:52,000 --> 00:26:55,167
allows quicker evacuation
and rescue efforts
483
00:26:55,375 --> 00:26:57,875
and is certainly useful
in our modern world.
484
00:26:58,875 --> 00:27:00,500
But what if a technology
485
00:27:00,667 --> 00:27:03,250
with the ability to detect
Earthquakes existed
486
00:27:03,375 --> 00:27:05,750
not just in modern times
487
00:27:05,917 --> 00:27:08,167
but 2,000 years ago?
488
00:27:14,750 --> 00:27:17,875
The Han Dynasty
is a sprawling empire
489
00:27:18,042 --> 00:27:21,833
that covers Ancient China
and parts of Vietnam and Korea.
490
00:27:21,958 --> 00:27:27,000
One day, Zhang Heng, chief
astronomer to the emperor,
491
00:27:27,125 --> 00:27:30,042
introduces a mysterious
instrument to court.
492
00:27:30,208 --> 00:27:33,833
He claims his device
can detect earthquakes...
493
00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:35,833
Events considered
by the ancient Chinese
494
00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,917
to be important
signs from heaven.
495
00:27:39,917 --> 00:27:43,667
Zhang Heng was an exceptional
figure in Chinese history.
496
00:27:43,750 --> 00:27:45,792
He could be described
as a Renaissance man
497
00:27:45,917 --> 00:27:48,333
that was centuries
ahead of his time.
498
00:27:48,458 --> 00:27:53,500
Zhang Heng developed
one of the earliest instruments
499
00:27:53,625 --> 00:27:55,958
to measure
movements in the earth.
500
00:27:56,125 --> 00:27:59,667
This seismoscope
could be used to detect
501
00:27:59,833 --> 00:28:03,167
certain natural phenomena,
including earthquakes.
502
00:28:03,250 --> 00:28:07,917
SHATNER: Unfortunately, Zhang
Heng's original seismoscope,
503
00:28:08,083 --> 00:28:10,750
which was a precursor
to modern seismometers,
504
00:28:10,875 --> 00:28:12,917
has been lost to time.
505
00:28:13,042 --> 00:28:14,917
However, based on
ancient descriptions
506
00:28:15,083 --> 00:28:16,708
of its general appearance,
507
00:28:16,875 --> 00:28:19,292
historians have created
models of the device
508
00:28:19,458 --> 00:28:23,000
that are on display in
museums throughout China.
509
00:28:23,167 --> 00:28:25,500
ADLER: In shape,
it was a huge urn
510
00:28:25,625 --> 00:28:28,208
which had eight dragons
511
00:28:28,375 --> 00:28:32,333
corresponding to different
directions around the rim,
512
00:28:32,500 --> 00:28:34,833
with their faces turned down
513
00:28:35,042 --> 00:28:37,917
looking at large toads
which had their mouths open,
514
00:28:38,083 --> 00:28:39,958
and when an
earthquake would occur,
515
00:28:40,125 --> 00:28:43,625
the dragon facing in the
direction of the earthquake
516
00:28:43,833 --> 00:28:46,875
would eject a ball
from its mouth,
517
00:28:47,042 --> 00:28:51,083
which would then fall
into the mouth of the toad.
518
00:28:52,083 --> 00:28:55,167
There's an account of it in
the Book of the Later Han,
519
00:28:55,333 --> 00:28:59,042
and it describes how
the seismoscope was
520
00:28:59,208 --> 00:29:00,875
triggered one day.
521
00:29:01,042 --> 00:29:04,625
No one at the court believed
that it actually worked.
522
00:29:04,750 --> 00:29:07,542
But then, a few days later,
523
00:29:07,708 --> 00:29:10,458
a messenger came from
about 400 miles away
524
00:29:10,625 --> 00:29:14,125
reporting that there had
been a massive earthquake.
525
00:29:14,250 --> 00:29:17,958
And everyone at court
was forced to admit
526
00:29:18,125 --> 00:29:21,167
that this seismoscope
could detect earthquakes
527
00:29:21,292 --> 00:29:24,042
hundreds and
hundreds of miles away.
528
00:29:25,083 --> 00:29:27,917
GILLAN: This was an incredibly
important piece of technology
529
00:29:28,083 --> 00:29:30,917
because time was people's lives
530
00:29:31,083 --> 00:29:32,792
when it came to
natural disasters.
531
00:29:32,958 --> 00:29:35,542
It allowed help to
be sent straightaway
532
00:29:35,708 --> 00:29:37,500
to the affected region
533
00:29:37,667 --> 00:29:40,107
rather than having to wait days
for the message to reach them.
534
00:29:41,167 --> 00:29:45,250
STEAVU: This seismoscope
was a technological marvel.
535
00:29:45,417 --> 00:29:49,167
In the rest of the world,
seismoscopes were not in use
536
00:29:49,333 --> 00:29:51,333
and they were
developed in Europe
537
00:29:51,500 --> 00:29:55,417
only in the 17 or 1800s.
538
00:29:55,583 --> 00:30:00,083
So Zhang Heng was numerous
centuries ahead of his time.
539
00:30:00,208 --> 00:30:04,000
SHATNER: Zhang Heng
was clearly a scientific genius.
540
00:30:04,208 --> 00:30:06,667
But how was he able to
build such a remarkable device
541
00:30:06,792 --> 00:30:08,208
centuries before anyone else?
542
00:30:08,375 --> 00:30:13,167
And how did his extraordinary
seismoscope work?
543
00:30:14,375 --> 00:30:17,500
GILLAN: We don't actually
know exactly how it functioned.
544
00:30:17,708 --> 00:30:19,500
There are historical
descriptions
545
00:30:19,708 --> 00:30:21,583
explaining what it looked like,
546
00:30:21,750 --> 00:30:23,375
the general components of it,
547
00:30:23,542 --> 00:30:26,125
but in terms of the
nitty-gritty functioning
548
00:30:26,333 --> 00:30:29,500
of this ancient piece of
technology it's still unknown.
549
00:30:29,708 --> 00:30:32,000
SHATNER: Because
both the seismoscope
550
00:30:32,208 --> 00:30:34,667
and detailed specifications
of its inner workings
551
00:30:34,833 --> 00:30:36,417
no longer exist,
552
00:30:36,583 --> 00:30:38,458
experts can only speculate
553
00:30:38,542 --> 00:30:44,000
as to how Zhang Heng's device
may have detected earthquakes.
554
00:30:44,167 --> 00:30:46,250
STEAVU: It's been
proposed, hypothetically,
555
00:30:46,417 --> 00:30:49,375
that within the urn
was a pendulum
556
00:30:49,542 --> 00:30:51,917
which rested on a bronze ball.
557
00:30:52,083 --> 00:30:56,250
When a seismic wave would
come, the pendulum would move
558
00:30:56,458 --> 00:30:58,667
in the same direction
as the seismic wave,
559
00:30:58,833 --> 00:31:00,167
and the bronze ball would move
560
00:31:00,375 --> 00:31:03,000
in the opposite direction
of the seismic wave,
561
00:31:03,167 --> 00:31:05,750
and it would trigger
a dragon head
562
00:31:05,917 --> 00:31:09,250
to release a ball that it
was holding in its jaws.
563
00:31:09,375 --> 00:31:11,833
However, ultimately,
the inner mechanisms
564
00:31:12,042 --> 00:31:14,458
and function of the
seismoscope remain a mystery.
565
00:31:14,625 --> 00:31:18,583
SHATNER: The mystery of how
this odd device detected earthquakes
566
00:31:18,708 --> 00:31:20,792
in ancient times is fascinating.
567
00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:24,500
And almost two
full millennia later,
568
00:31:24,708 --> 00:31:28,333
a team of Chinese scientists
set out to finally prove
569
00:31:28,542 --> 00:31:32,000
how the seismoscope
could have worked.
570
00:31:32,208 --> 00:31:36,042
In 2005, a team of
scientists in China
571
00:31:36,208 --> 00:31:39,875
recreated the
seismoscope successfully,
572
00:31:40,042 --> 00:31:43,708
and the device functioned
as described in the sources.
573
00:31:43,875 --> 00:31:46,000
It had a very high sensitivity
574
00:31:46,167 --> 00:31:49,833
and was able to detect
simulated earthquakes
575
00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:52,667
from about four
to 500 miles away.
576
00:31:52,875 --> 00:31:57,125
Not only was it able to detect
the simulated earthquakes,
577
00:31:57,292 --> 00:31:59,667
it could also identify
accurately the direction
578
00:31:59,875 --> 00:32:01,333
in which they came from.
579
00:32:01,417 --> 00:32:03,458
So from this, they
could conclude
580
00:32:03,625 --> 00:32:06,500
that this seismoscope
was incredibly refined
581
00:32:06,667 --> 00:32:10,667
and advanced for the
era in which it was created.
582
00:32:10,875 --> 00:32:13,208
The Chinese seismometer
583
00:32:13,375 --> 00:32:14,462
was clearly centuries
ahead of its time,
584
00:32:14,542 --> 00:32:15,920
was clearly centuries
ahead of its time,
585
00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:18,500
and it's not the only
instance of ancient people
586
00:32:18,708 --> 00:32:22,167
designing technology
that mirrors our own.
587
00:32:22,333 --> 00:32:25,500
In fact, there was
one Renaissance man
588
00:32:25,667 --> 00:32:28,833
who foresaw a future
filled with flying machines
589
00:32:29,042 --> 00:32:33,333
nearly 400 years
before they existed.
590
00:32:39,375 --> 00:32:42,333
SHATNER: In the heart of
the city stands the Louvre,
591
00:32:42,458 --> 00:32:46,333
one of the most renowned
museums in the world.
592
00:32:46,500 --> 00:32:48,667
Of the hundreds of thousands
of artworks contained
593
00:32:48,792 --> 00:32:51,333
in its prestigious galleries,
594
00:32:51,500 --> 00:32:54,500
the biggest attraction
is the Mona Lisa,
595
00:32:54,708 --> 00:32:59,083
which draws roughly ten
million visitors every year.
596
00:32:59,208 --> 00:33:02,000
The Mona Lisa is one of the
many important paintings created
597
00:33:02,167 --> 00:33:07,500
by celebrated Renaissance
artist Leonardo da Vinci.
598
00:33:07,708 --> 00:33:11,333
But curiously, da Vinci was
much more than just a painter.
599
00:33:11,542 --> 00:33:13,833
He was also a pioneer
600
00:33:13,958 --> 00:33:18,958
who envisioned
futuristic technologies.
601
00:33:19,083 --> 00:33:20,750
RESSLER: Leonardo da Vinci
602
00:33:20,875 --> 00:33:22,167
is widely regarded
603
00:33:22,375 --> 00:33:24,458
as the quintessential
Renaissance man
604
00:33:24,625 --> 00:33:26,000
because he did it all.
605
00:33:26,167 --> 00:33:29,000
He was an artist,
606
00:33:29,167 --> 00:33:31,917
he was a gifted engineer
607
00:33:32,083 --> 00:33:35,250
and he was also
a great craftsman.
608
00:33:35,417 --> 00:33:38,167
So, he had a
wide array of skills
609
00:33:38,333 --> 00:33:40,875
combined with a brilliant mind.
610
00:33:41,042 --> 00:33:42,917
When we think of da Vinci,
611
00:33:43,083 --> 00:33:45,958
we often think
about his sketches
612
00:33:46,083 --> 00:33:49,167
of amazing machines,
and he compiled
613
00:33:49,333 --> 00:33:53,833
this vast collection of
sketches in his notebooks.
614
00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,208
He was designing fortifications,
615
00:33:57,375 --> 00:34:01,833
port facilities, canals,
616
00:34:02,042 --> 00:34:05,500
catapults and tanks.
617
00:34:05,667 --> 00:34:08,917
These sketches would
be completely at home
618
00:34:09,125 --> 00:34:11,292
in the notebook of an
engineering student today.
619
00:34:12,333 --> 00:34:14,458
BULL: Leonardo certainly had
620
00:34:14,625 --> 00:34:16,917
an amazing imagination.
621
00:34:17,042 --> 00:34:19,833
But one has to say
that Leonardo's ideas
622
00:34:20,000 --> 00:34:22,167
were too advanced for his time,
623
00:34:22,292 --> 00:34:25,542
in the sense that he was stymied
624
00:34:25,708 --> 00:34:29,583
by the lack of the right
materials in the period.
625
00:34:29,750 --> 00:34:32,833
However, the fact that
very few of the things
626
00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:35,083
Leonardo depicted
actually were done
627
00:34:35,250 --> 00:34:38,583
shouldn't really
blind us to his genius.
628
00:34:40,208 --> 00:34:41,545
SHATNER: While most
of da Vinci's concepts
629
00:34:41,625 --> 00:34:45,417
were too advanced to
be built in the 15th century,
630
00:34:45,542 --> 00:34:48,833
incredibly, some traces
of his actual achievements
631
00:34:49,042 --> 00:34:51,125
can be seen today.
632
00:34:51,292 --> 00:34:53,292
Near Florence, a canal system
633
00:34:53,417 --> 00:34:56,208
designed by da Vinci
has been preserved,
634
00:34:56,375 --> 00:34:58,000
and a military stronghold
635
00:34:58,167 --> 00:35:01,333
he constructed in
Switzerland still stands.
636
00:35:04,167 --> 00:35:06,167
But of all the
futuristic machines
637
00:35:06,333 --> 00:35:09,458
envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci,
638
00:35:09,667 --> 00:35:14,500
his most famous designs were
in pursuit of his dream of flight.
639
00:35:14,667 --> 00:35:17,667
For decades, modern
historians have wondered,
640
00:35:17,875 --> 00:35:19,833
did Da Vinci actually discover
641
00:35:20,042 --> 00:35:22,292
the secret to soaring
through the sky
642
00:35:22,417 --> 00:35:25,250
centuries before the
invention of the airplane?
643
00:35:26,458 --> 00:35:28,000
Leonardo's
understanding of flight was
644
00:35:28,208 --> 00:35:30,458
certainly a lot deeper than
many of his contemporaries.
645
00:35:30,542 --> 00:35:34,958
He was one of the first people
to study actual bird motion
646
00:35:35,125 --> 00:35:39,042
to try to figure out how birds
flew under their own power.
647
00:35:39,208 --> 00:35:41,917
If you look at Leonardo's
flying machines,
648
00:35:42,083 --> 00:35:45,458
the first machines that he
envisions in his notebooks
649
00:35:45,625 --> 00:35:47,958
are, in fact, ornithopter
designs, very much like birds,
650
00:35:48,083 --> 00:35:52,000
where they flap their wings
to generate the lift for flying.
651
00:35:52,208 --> 00:35:54,042
And then he
progressed on to designs
652
00:35:54,208 --> 00:35:56,250
which were much
more like gliders.
653
00:35:58,958 --> 00:36:01,333
DENNIN: One of the
really fascinating things
654
00:36:01,542 --> 00:36:04,333
about da Vinci's efforts is he
was very creative in thinking
655
00:36:04,542 --> 00:36:06,792
about how humans might
spin things or turn things.
656
00:36:06,958 --> 00:36:11,000
One of the designs he
had was an aerial screw.
657
00:36:11,208 --> 00:36:15,167
And it's a particular
structure like a propellor,
658
00:36:15,375 --> 00:36:17,417
to provide lift and
have something fly.
659
00:36:18,583 --> 00:36:20,333
SHATNER: Leonardo
Da Vinci's principle
660
00:36:20,458 --> 00:36:22,417
of a single screw
turning a propellor
661
00:36:22,583 --> 00:36:25,333
to create lift is
strikingly similar
662
00:36:25,500 --> 00:36:28,167
to the mechanics behind
the modern helicopter.
663
00:36:28,375 --> 00:36:30,667
And over the years,
engineers have been inspired
664
00:36:30,875 --> 00:36:33,583
to bring da Vinci's
visionary designs to life
665
00:36:33,750 --> 00:36:36,667
through real-world
experimentation.
666
00:36:37,833 --> 00:36:40,083
MATTHEW LANDRUS: In 1976,
667
00:36:40,250 --> 00:36:43,542
the Gossamer Condor was flown,
668
00:36:43,708 --> 00:36:45,708
and it was he first
human-powered flying machine
669
00:36:45,875 --> 00:36:47,083
with one person operating
670
00:36:47,292 --> 00:36:50,667
this propeller-driven
glider, essentially.
671
00:36:50,792 --> 00:36:52,958
It was the first attempt
672
00:36:53,167 --> 00:36:56,208
at what Leonardo
was trying to make.
673
00:36:57,667 --> 00:36:59,333
ADLER: A crew at the
University of Maryland
674
00:36:59,458 --> 00:37:02,875
used Leonardo's design
for the aerial screw.
675
00:37:04,417 --> 00:37:06,708
The quadcopter design worked.
676
00:37:06,875 --> 00:37:08,378
The air screws actually
did provide enough lift
677
00:37:08,458 --> 00:37:10,292
to lift the quadcopter up.
678
00:37:10,458 --> 00:37:13,833
And so, there is some
promise for a design like that.
679
00:37:13,958 --> 00:37:17,500
So, Leonardo even today does
inspire people in their designs.
680
00:37:19,042 --> 00:37:21,083
SHATNER: How
did Leonardo da Vinci
681
00:37:21,208 --> 00:37:24,417
create technical designs
that remain relevant
682
00:37:24,583 --> 00:37:27,500
more than 500
years after his death?
683
00:37:27,667 --> 00:37:29,792
We may never fully
understand the depths
684
00:37:29,917 --> 00:37:33,042
of his extraordinary genius,
685
00:37:33,250 --> 00:37:35,833
but incredibly, there
are those who believe
686
00:37:36,042 --> 00:37:37,374
that an ancient civilization,
687
00:37:37,375 --> 00:37:38,250
that an ancient civilization,
688
00:37:38,375 --> 00:37:40,458
located in Mexico
689
00:37:40,625 --> 00:37:45,250
might have actually
invented rocket propulsion.
690
00:37:54,542 --> 00:37:56,750
SHATNER: A heavy
rainstorm inundates the ruins
691
00:37:56,875 --> 00:37:58,292
of this ancient metropolis
692
00:37:58,458 --> 00:38:00,792
located northeast
of Mexico City.
693
00:38:02,833 --> 00:38:06,833
Once the weather clears,
archaeologist Sergio G�mez
694
00:38:07,042 --> 00:38:12,167
discovers a mysterious sinkhole
at the foot of a large pyramid
695
00:38:12,375 --> 00:38:16,000
known as the Temple
of the Feathered Serpent.
696
00:38:16,208 --> 00:38:18,250
COLLINS: What this
almighty storm did
697
00:38:18,417 --> 00:38:21,292
was to reveal the entrance
698
00:38:21,417 --> 00:38:24,208
into an underground tunnel
699
00:38:24,375 --> 00:38:29,167
that went for around
a hundred meters
700
00:38:29,292 --> 00:38:33,167
directly beneath the pyramid.
701
00:38:33,292 --> 00:38:36,500
A group of around 30 experts,
702
00:38:36,708 --> 00:38:41,417
headed by G�mez, started
to clear out these tunnels.
703
00:38:41,583 --> 00:38:45,458
They came to these chambers
704
00:38:45,583 --> 00:38:50,958
that were full of hundreds
of yellow spheres.
705
00:38:51,125 --> 00:38:53,833
And these were made out of clay,
706
00:38:54,000 --> 00:38:56,167
and this yellow
substance around them
707
00:38:56,375 --> 00:39:00,167
was an oxidized form of pyrite,
708
00:39:00,375 --> 00:39:04,458
so they would have
shone in the light.
709
00:39:04,583 --> 00:39:06,083
DAVID WALTON:
Those yellow spheres
710
00:39:06,208 --> 00:39:07,500
are all along the ceiling
711
00:39:07,667 --> 00:39:09,417
and all along the
walls of this tunnel.
712
00:39:09,583 --> 00:39:12,958
If you have a
torch, that torchlight
713
00:39:13,125 --> 00:39:15,125
reflects off of the ceiling.
714
00:39:15,250 --> 00:39:17,625
It looks like the
stars in the sky.
715
00:39:18,917 --> 00:39:20,000
And it's just incredible.
716
00:39:21,667 --> 00:39:23,347
SHATNER: Archaeologists
have also discovered
717
00:39:23,500 --> 00:39:26,333
other puzzling
artifacts at Teotihuacan,
718
00:39:26,542 --> 00:39:29,625
including large
quantities of liquid mercury
719
00:39:29,750 --> 00:39:33,500
and sheets of mica crystals.
720
00:39:33,625 --> 00:39:36,333
What's surprising is
that these materials
721
00:39:36,458 --> 00:39:38,792
are all used in
modern technology.
722
00:39:38,958 --> 00:39:42,500
So what are they doing
in an ancient metropolis
723
00:39:42,667 --> 00:39:46,000
that is more than
2,000 years old?
724
00:39:46,208 --> 00:39:49,000
GILLAN: Because, for
example, mercury is actually used
725
00:39:49,208 --> 00:39:50,833
as a rocket propellant,
726
00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:54,083
this has led many to
suggest that their discovery
727
00:39:54,208 --> 00:39:57,667
may provide evidence for
some form of ancient technology,
728
00:39:57,833 --> 00:40:00,542
perhaps used in propulsion
or in energy creation.
729
00:40:00,750 --> 00:40:03,417
This is very speculative,
but if it were, in fact, true,
730
00:40:03,625 --> 00:40:05,417
we would have to rethink
everything we know
731
00:40:05,542 --> 00:40:07,333
about ancient technology.
732
00:40:07,542 --> 00:40:10,667
SHATNER: Is the presence
of sophisticated materials
733
00:40:10,833 --> 00:40:14,667
at Teotihuacan
just a coincidence?
734
00:40:14,875 --> 00:40:17,542
Or is it really possible
that ancient people
735
00:40:17,708 --> 00:40:20,542
invented an early
form of rocket fuel?
736
00:40:22,792 --> 00:40:24,458
Ultimately, it's hard to say,
737
00:40:24,542 --> 00:40:27,208
because we still have
much more to learn
738
00:40:27,375 --> 00:40:30,208
about the technology
of the ancient world.
739
00:40:30,375 --> 00:40:35,750
COLLINS: Teotihuacan is
one of the most sophisticated,
740
00:40:35,917 --> 00:40:40,250
technologically advanced
ancient sites in the world.
741
00:40:40,417 --> 00:40:45,833
But the big mystery is we don't
know who built Teotihuacan,
742
00:40:46,042 --> 00:40:50,333
and how the ancients
had this knowledge.
743
00:40:50,542 --> 00:40:53,500
This is something that
happens again and again.
744
00:40:53,708 --> 00:40:55,625
We invent something
745
00:40:55,750 --> 00:40:59,208
and instead of
preserving the plans
746
00:40:59,375 --> 00:41:03,458
or the technique, it's lost.
747
00:41:05,083 --> 00:41:06,795
GILLAN: There is still
a great deal of mystery
748
00:41:06,875 --> 00:41:08,750
about ancient technology.
749
00:41:08,958 --> 00:41:12,458
Whole histories of ancient
cultures have been lost.
750
00:41:12,625 --> 00:41:15,750
There's a lot more
research we still could do
751
00:41:15,917 --> 00:41:19,458
to discover forms
of ancient technology
752
00:41:19,667 --> 00:41:21,875
that may have been lost to time.
753
00:41:25,083 --> 00:41:27,833
From enigmatic gold spheres
754
00:41:27,958 --> 00:41:29,792
to incredibly powerful weapons
755
00:41:29,958 --> 00:41:34,125
to devices that warn
of impending disasters,
756
00:41:34,333 --> 00:41:37,792
many ancient pieces of
technology are fascinating
757
00:41:37,958 --> 00:41:40,500
and challenge our
understanding of history.
758
00:41:40,667 --> 00:41:45,458
If we unlock the secrets of
innovations from the past,
759
00:41:45,542 --> 00:41:47,708
could that play a
key role in developing
760
00:41:47,917 --> 00:41:50,167
the technology of tomorrow?
761
00:41:50,333 --> 00:41:52,833
It's an intriguing possibility,
762
00:41:53,042 --> 00:41:57,208
but for now, the mysterious
inventions of the ancients
763
00:41:57,333 --> 00:42:01,000
will remain unexplained.
764
00:42:01,125 --> 00:42:03,792
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00:42:03,842 --> 00:42:08,392
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