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Ancient History

20 Revolutionary Inventions That Were Lost to History

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18. Archimedes’ Death Ray

18. Archimedes' Death Ray
A group of ancient soldiers angle large mirrors to focus sunlight onto enemy ships, demonstrating Archimedes’ legendary death ray weapon. | Photo by Wikimedia Commons

According to ancient lore, Archimedes invented a “death ray” by using mirrors to concentrate sunlight and ignite enemy ships. While historians debate the story’s truth, modern experiments suggest the idea is at least plausible.
Regardless, the precise technique and configuration for this legendary weapon were lost with Archimedes, leaving us with only speculation and myth.
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