This traditional portrait of Athanasius Kircher gives his age as 76. The engraver has emphasized the energy in Kircher’s inquiring eyes. A professor of eloquence in Rome added the flowery inscription: “The painter or poet would declare only in error: ‘This is the man.’ But the farthest Antipodes know his name and face.”

Above, a detail from a page in Athanasius Kircher’s “Musurgia Universalis,” printed in 1650. A large part of the book is devoted to the history of instrumentation, including the anatomy of voice and hearing, and an extensive theory on acoustics entitled ‘Magia Phonocamptica, sive de Echo’, in which he described sound as ‘the ape of light.’

Invented device for the deaf and a megaphone. Described the phosphorescence and fluorescence. Designed magnetic watch.

Made some music of hydraulic machines.  Has constructed the prototype of the synthesizer, which it was possible to obtain different timbres of wind, string instruments and noise, as well as programmed melodies within the scale tool.

The first used a microscope to examine the blood of patients with plague, and came to the conclusion that the disease is caused by microorganisms.  He also suggested that effective measures to combat the disease – isolation, quarantine, burning clothes and diseased wearing protective masks.

Descended into the crater of the volcano Etna on Sicily. Created the theory of volcanism and water circulation within the body of the Earth.

Invented the world’s first projector, and includes a light source, and a slide, and an optical system, and the screen .

To study the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs taught Syriac, Chaldean, Arabic and Coptic.

In fact, opened for Christian Kabbalah – presenting an image kabbalah  sefirot of the tree is in the form in which it would be accessible and understandable to Christian readers.

Released the “Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Chinese Empire,” which summarized all the information known about China – Kircher was in correspondence with more than 760 scientists.

Created the “machine metaphor”.

Calculated that if the Tower of Babel reach the sky, she would have turned the Earth. Calculated the size of Noah’s Ark .

During the 30-year war against the Protestants fled first to Avignon, and then to Rome. Has published 40 books: arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry, algebra, the theory of logarithms, Astronomy, Chronograph, geography, acoustics, and anaclastics catoptrics, mechanics, statics, hydrology, hydraulic engineering, pyrotechnics, cryptography, fortification, topography, chemistry, architecture, construction mechanics , music, telescopes, microscopes, magnets and their properties, fluid bodies, machines, pneumatic machines, diving bells, military tactics and strategy, and so on.

The trading vessel was carrying an extremely valuable cargo of tin and hundreds of copper ingots from the Continent when it sank.

Experts say the ”incredibly exciting” discovery provides new evidence about the extent and sophistication of Britain’s links with Europe in the Bronze Age, and reveals the remarkable seafaring abilities of the people during the period.

Archaeologists have described the vessel, which is thought to date back to about 900BC, as being a ”bulk carrier” of its age. The copper and tin would have been used for making bronze, the primary product of the period which was used in the manufacture of weapons, tools, jewellery, ornaments and other items.

It is believed that the copper – and possibly the tin – were being imported into Britain and originated in a number of different countries throughout Europe, rather than from a single source, demonstrating the existence of a complex network of trade routes across the Continent. It is the first time tin ingots from this period have ever been found in Britain, a discovery which may support theories that the metal was being mined in the south-west at this time. If the tin was not produced in Britain, it is likely it would have come from the Iberian Peninsula or Germany.

The wreck was found in between eight and 10 metres of water in a bay near Salcombe, south Devon, by a team of amateur marine archaeologists from the South West Maritime Archaeological Group. In total, 295 artefacts have so far been recovered, weighing more than 84 kilograms.

The cargo recovered includes 259 copper ingots and 27 tin ingots. Also found was a bronze leaf sword, two stone artefacts that could have been slingshots, and three gold wrist torcs, or bracelets.

The team has yet to uncover any of the vessel’s structure, which is likely to have eroded away. But experts believe it would have been up to 12 metres long and up to 1.8 metres wide.

The artefacts are to be handed over to the British Museum next week. They will be independently valued and the museum will pay the team for the items.

ANI

The discovery was made by the University of Reading’s Archaeology Department, which has been excavating at the Silchester Roman site, Calleva Atrebatum, since 1997.

A street-grid was found to have been in place before the Romans came in AD 43. Archaeologists have also discovered evidence of widespread burning at the site.

They believe this, along with other finds, suggests that the site could have been destroyed at the hands of queen Boudicca, who in AD 60/61 led a major uprising against the occupying Roman forces.

“After 12 summers of excavation, we have reached down to the 1st Century AD and are beginning to see the first signs of what we believe to be the Iron Age and earliest Roman town,” said Professor Michael Fulford, director of the Silchester Town Life Project.

“The discovery of the underlying Iron Age settlement is extremely exciting. While there are traces of settlement beneath Roman Verulamium (today’s St Albans) and Canterbury and close to the site of Roman Colchester, none of these resembles the evidence that we have here at Calleva of a planned town,” he said.

“The completely new street grid implemented later by the Romans could have been a thumbs down on the British arrangement,” he added.

According to Professor Fulford, “We now have evidence that the town was burnt down sometime after AD 50 and before AD 80.”

“The possibility that this was at the hands of Boudicca when leading the largest British uprising during the Roman occupation is hugely significant. It was not thought the revolt passed this way,” he said.

source: http://www.aniin.com/