Archimedes

Archimedes Birth

287 BCE

Archimedes was born in Syracuse, Sicily, in 287 B.C. He was the son of the astronomer Phidias. Archimedes studied in Alexandria, Egypt, which at the time , was the most important learning center.

Archimedes Screw

250 BCE

King Hiero was unable to empty rainwater from the hull of one of his ships. The King called upon Archimedes for assistance. Archimedes' solution was to create a machine consisting of a hollow tube containing a spiral that could be turned by a handle at one end. When the lower end of the tube was placed into the hull and the handle turned, water was carried up the tube and out of the boat. The Archimedes Screw is still used as a method of irrigation in developing countries.

Give me a place to stand and I will move the earth...

250 BCE

Archimedes is famous for the quote: Give me a place to stand on, and I will move the Earth. Of course what he meant was: in principle with a large enough lever and a place to stand the strength needed to move even something as heavy as the Earth would be possible

THE PUZZLE OF KING HIERO'S CROWN

250 BCE

Archimedes was asked to determine whether or not the crown was pure gold without harming it in the process. Archimedes was perplexed but found inspiration while taking a bath. He noticed that the full bath overflowed when he lowered himself into it, and suddenly realized that he could measure the crown's volume by the amount of water it displaced.

Archimedes Heat Ray

250 BCE

The device, sometimes called the "Archimedes heat ray" or even “the death ray” was used to focus sunlight/sun rays onto approaching ships, causing them to catch fire.

The Claw of Archimedes

250 BCE

Claw of Archimedes. The Claw of Archimedes is a weapon that he is said to have designed in order to defend the city of Syracuse. Also known as "the ship shaker," the claw consisted of a crane-like arm from which a large metal grappling hook was suspended.

ARCHIMEDES AND THE DEFENSE OF SYRACUSE

216 BCE

Before his death in 216 BC, Hiero set Archimedes to work, strengthening the walls of Syracuse and modifying its great stronghold, the Euryelos fortress. Archimedes also constructed war machines to defend Syracuse.

Archimedes Death

212 BCE

Archimedes was killed while the Romans sacked the city. It was said that he had drawn some circles in the sand and was studying them when a Roman soldier disturbed his work. Thus confronted, he begged the soldier not to disturb the circles. The soldier then capriciously slew him ending his life.