In June 1936, on the outskirts of Baghdad, as usual, a group of road builders started building a road here early in the morning. A worker suddenly shoveled a hard thing and couldn't dig it, so he called for help from his companions. Everyone worked together and dug hard around here, but a huge sarcophagus was dug up. Archaeologists came immediately, carefully opened the sarcophagus, and found a large number of gold and silver utensils and rosaries composed of 613 pearls and other valuables, which were identified by experts as cultural relics of the Persian dynasty between 248 and 226 BC.
Among these artifacts, some people never knew what they were used for. It was a strange pile of pottery utensils, rusted copper pipes and iron rods. The German archaeologist Wilhelm Cavinig, then director of the Iraqi Museum, described the strange artifacts this way: The pottery vessel resembled a vase, 15 centimeters high, with some pale yellow in the white, and the edges were broken. The upper end is mouth-shaped, and the bottle is filled with asphalt. There is a copper tube in the asphalt, 2.6 cm in diameter and 9 cm high. The top of the copper tube has a layer of asphalt insulator, and in the copper tube there is another layer of asphalt, and there is a rusty iron rod. The iron rod is 1 cm above the asphalt insulator and is covered by a layer of gray-yellowish material that looks like a layer of lead.
After identification, Cavinig announced a news that shocked the world: "The pottery utensils, copper pipes and iron rods unearthed in Baghdad are an ancient chemical battery that can generate electricity as long as an acid solution is added."
Many people at the time said that Cavenig must be crazy or a big liar. As we all know, the battery was invented by the Italian scientist Volt in 1800 AD.
Just as everyone was accusing Cavenig, Cavenig mysteriously disappeared, and those ancient "batteries" disappeared. It turned out that Cavenig quietly brought these things back to Berlin and conducted an important experiment. He combined the pottery utensils, iron rods, asphalt insulators and copper pipes into 10 batteries, and there was an even more surprising discovery: The ancients probably connected these batteries in series to enhance electricity and gild statues and ornaments.
Did the ancients really use batteries? With a scientific and realistic attitude, another German archaeologist, Alan Egerbricht, decided to conduct experiments to verify this rumor himself. He modeled the prototype of the "battery" unearthed in Baghdad, and made some clay bottles, copper pipes and iron rods by himself, squeezed the juice from fresh grapes, and poured it into the copper pipes. A miracle happened, and the needle of the voltmeter connected to the battery suddenly moved, showing a voltage of 0.5 volts. Then Egerbricht did another experiment. He found a figurine, put it in a gold solution, and then energized it with an imitation Baghdad battery. Two hours later, a perfectly gilded statue was placed in front of him. Egerbricht announced: "I didn't believe it at first either, but my experiments at least proved that Mr. Kavinig didn't panic."
Coincidentally, traces of batteries have also been found in the mysterious ancient Egyptian pyramids. Among the pyramid buildings in ancient Egypt, the largest one is the Pyramid of Khufu built in Giza, a suburb of Cairo, about 4,600 years ago. Its internal structure is extremely complex and magical, and it is decorated with carvings and paintings. This work should be done by torch lighting or under oil lamps. However, modern scientists have conducted a comprehensive and careful scientific analysis and analysis of the dust accumulated in the tomb and the corridor for more than 4,600 years. It can be seen that when ancient Egyptian artists carved and painted murals in the catacombs and corridors of Khufu's pyramids, they did not use torches or oil lamps for lighting at all, but probably used some kind of special battery or other electrical device that can emit light.
American scientists also conducted a series of experiments to verify the authenticity of the Baghdad battery. They first also succeeded in obtaining 0.5 volts from an imitation Baghdad battery and used it continuously for 18 days. They used a variety of solutions that ancient humans had discovered or started using, such as grape juice solution, acetic acid, copper sulfate, etc. The scientists who participated in the experiment agreed that they did not know what other uses these things had other than power generation.
In 1938, German archaeologist Koenig unearthed another set of batteries from ancient times on the outskirts of Baghdad. Different from two years ago, the ancient batteries discovered this time were copper shells, copper cores, and shells fixed with the help of aluminum and tin. Yes, this method is still widely used today.
It is indeed inconceivable that Egyptians or Baghdad people more than 2,000 years ago have begun to use batteries to generate electricity and plate gold, and it is no wonder that people have taken a cautious attitude towards this. To clarify the authenticity, I am afraid that new scientific discoveries are still needed.
About the Creator
Thomas
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Peanuts and Crackerjack
Bottom of the ninth inning. The game is tied with two outs, two strikes and a man on second. I tap the bat on home plate. The rigid vibrations it creates reminds my aching digits that this isn't over. The practice swing only adds to the heft of mental burnout... Man on second, willing to chance it. Pitcher eyes him but doesn't give in to the dangerous bluff. I kick up dust, readying the peculiar stance I've had since the days of little league. The bat lays stiff upon my cramping shoulder. Pain has no reason to be acknowledged; it's a fleeting afterthought. The sun sits passed high noon, but the stadium lights are on anyway. They trick my brain into believing they are the cause of this sweltering heat. Sporadic clouds are motionless, they too, don't want to miss this exhilarating predicament. Intensifying roars from the crowd rumble the stadium, anticipating the next pitch... Behind me, the crafty catcher adjusts his stance and spits to the dry dirt. Behind him, the staunch umpire doesn't flinch or even blink; he knows how important his call will be. The pitcher winds up, his grip tells me its gonna curve. The release is fierce! Beads of sweat from his hair and face disperse in every direction as the force of his might is unfailing. My left leg lifts—an instinctual move that will increase the power of my swing. It's all down to my two, bloodshot eyes. They lock onto the speeding, white dot as it instantly becomes the target I intend to destroy. The swing is late, but I manage a solid tip. The ball is taking a fast bounce toward the pitcher who is recovering from the almighty throw! Man on second leaves in a desperate rush! I fling the bat to the side with a sense of urgency and make a mad sprint to the only destination I have—first base. Three defenders race inward to be the first to retrieve the skidding ball. Man is almost on third! I watch the open glove of my adversary, wondering if I’ve done enough to win this race. I switch my attention to his eyes, looking for a clue, some kind of reaction that tells me the ball is in the air and heading his way. All I see is frustration. The deafening roar of the crowd spikes! Something happens that I can’t see! My opponent abandons his post right as my left stride touches the bag. I waste no time turning my head to see the pitcher laying on his stomach, pounding the mound with an open glove. He misses the opportunity to out me and the ball has quickly bounced past him. Excitement grows! This isn’t over yet... It's become an imperative fight to tag out the runner heading homeward. The catcher falls to his knees in obvious despair as he watches my teammate make the run of his life. He knows it’s going to be close when he sees the shortstop fumble the ball a second too long. I jump up and down with no plans on leaving first base. All my chips are on the speed and agility of the active runner. His cleats dig into the dirt, trailing a dust-filled cyclone from the rapid and strenuous strides. With a thrusting dive and an outstretched arm, he lands on his chest to begin the crucial slide to home plate. The shortstop fires the ball to the catcher! It immediately begins closing the gap! Nail-biting doesn't begin to describe the anxious vibe permeating the stadium. The bench begins to celebrate even before he reaches the plate. Forty thousand cheering fans reach maximum crescendo filling the air with a glorious sound. Everyone knows how this story will end… My teammate is met by the entire bench as his fingers inch across home plate, instantly followed by the unmistakable motion of the catcher's glove attempting to tag him out—its milliseconds too late. The ump swings his arms outward, officially calling him safe.
By Lamar Wigginsabout 18 hours ago in Fiction
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