Ancient Greek Steam Engine That Was 1,800 Years Too Early

Ajouté : 2026-05-21

[00:00:17]Hero of Alexandria built a spinning metal sphere powered by steam nearly 2,000 years ago. You see, the Aoliple had a hollow ball with two nozzles. When water inside was heated by a fire below, steam escaped through the jets and spun the sphere at high speed. It was the world's first known steam engine, demonstrating the principle of converting heat into motion. Yet, the Greeks treated it as a toy or temple wonder rather than a practical machine for work or transport. If developed further, it might have sparked an industrial revolution centuries ahead of time. Instead, the idea sat forgotten until the 18th century.