Science is a process of discovering and testing new ideas about the natural world. Sometimes, these ideas are revolutionary and challenge the established views of the time. Sometimes, these ideas are forgotten or ignored until they are rediscovered or confirmed by later generations. And sometimes, these ideas are surprisingly accurate and ahead of their time, even though they were proposed by ancient thinkers who lacked modern tools and methods.
Here are 05 examples of ancient theories that turned out to be correct, at least in some aspects, and show how human curiosity and creativity can transcend the limitations of time and technology.
1. Aristarchus Suggested The Earth Went Around The Sun
Long before Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler, there was Aristarchus of Samos, a Greek astronomer and mathematician who lived in the 3rd century BCE. He was the first person to propose a heliocentric model of the solar system, where the Earth and the other planets revolve around the sun. He also estimated the relative sizes and distances of the sun, moon, and Earth, using geometric methods.
Aristarchus’s theory was based on his observations of the phases of the moon and the seasons of the year. He argued that these phenomena could be better explained by a moving Earth than by a stationary one. However, his theory was rejected by most of his contemporaries, who followed the geocentric model of Aristotle and Ptolemy, where the Earth was at the center of the universe and everything else orbited around it. Aristarchus’s theory was also considered heretical by some religious authorities, who believed that the Earth was a special creation of God.
Aristarchus’s theory was largely forgotten until it was revived by Copernicus in the 16th century CE, who cited him as an inspiration. Copernicus’s theory sparked a scientific revolution that eventually led to the acceptance of heliocentrism as a fact.
2. Eratosthenes Calculated The Circumference Of The Earth
Another Greek genius who lived in the 3rd century BCE was Eratosthenes of Cyrene, who was a polymath and a director of the Library of Alexandria. He is best known for his remarkable measurement of the circumference of the Earth, which he did with simple tools and geometry.
Eratosthenes learned that on a certain day of the year (the summer solstice), the sun was directly overhead at noon in Syene (modern Aswan), a city south of Alexandria. He also observed that on the same day and time, a vertical stick in Alexandria cast a shadow at an angle of about 7 degrees. He reasoned that this difference in angle was due to the curvature of the Earth, and that by measuring the distance between Syene and Alexandria, he could calculate the circumference of the Earth.
He hired surveyors to measure the distance between the two cities, which they did by counting their steps. He found that it was about 5,000 stadia (a unit of length that varied from place to place). He then used simple proportions to find that the circumference of the Earth was about 250,000 stadia (about 40,000 km). His estimate was remarkably close to the actual value (about 40,075 km), considering the margin of error in his measurements.
3. Democritus Proposed That Matter Could Be Divided Into Its Smallest Particles, Called Atoms
Democritus was another Greek philosopher who lived in the 5th century BCE. He is considered one of the founders of atomism, a school of thought that proposed that matter could be divided into its smallest indivisible units, called atoms (from the Greek word atomos, meaning “uncuttable”). He also suggested that atoms could have different shapes and sizes, and that they moved in empty space and combined to form different substances.
Democritus’s theory was based on his intuition and logic, rather than on empirical evidence or experiments. He argued that matter could not be infinitely divisible, because then it would lose its properties and identity. He also argued that there must be empty space between atoms, because otherwise they would be packed together and unable to move.
Democritus’s theory was opposed by Aristotle and other philosophers who believed that matter was continuous and composed of four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. Democritus’s theory was also neglected by later generations until it was revived by modern scientists in the 17th century CE. They confirmed his ideas with experimental evidence and refined his concept of atoms with new discoveries such as subatomic particles and quantum mechanics.
4. Hippocrates Recognized The Importance Of Diet And Lifestyle For Health
Hippocrates was a Greek physician who lived in the 5th century BCE. He is widely regarded as the father of medicine, because he established medicine as a rational and empirical discipline based on observation and experience. He also rejected the supernatural explanations for disease that were prevalent at his time, such as divine wrath or demonic possession.
Hippocrates recognized that disease had natural causes and could be prevented or cured by natural means. He emphasized the importance of diet and lifestyle for health and well-being. He advised his patients to eat moderately, exercise regularly, avoid stress, sleep well, and maintain hygiene. He also prescribed various remedies made from herbs or minerals for different ailments.
Hippocrates also developed a system of diagnosis based on four bodily fluids or humors: blood, phlegm, yellow bile, and black bile. He believed that health depended on maintaining a balance among these humors according to one’s constitution or temperament. He classified people into four types: sanguine (blood), phlegmatic (phlegm), choleric (yellow bile), and melancholic (black bile). He also observed how different diseases affected different parts of the body.
Hippocrates’s system of medicine was influential for centuries until it was challenged by modern discoveries such as germ theory and anatomy. However, his principles of diet and lifestyle are still relevant today for promoting health and preventing disease.
5. Zhang Heng Invented The First Seismoscope To Detect Earthquakes
Zhang Heng was a Chinese polymath who lived in the 2nd century CE during the Han dynasty. He was an astronomer, mathematician, engineer, inventor, poet, and artist. He made many contributions to various fields of knowledge, but he is best known for his invention of the first seismoscope, a device that could detect earthquakes.
Zhang Heng’s seismoscope was a bronze vessel with eight dragon heads facing eight directions around its rim. Each dragon head held a bronze ball in its mouth. Below each dragon head was a bronze toad with its mouth open. When an earthquake occurred somewhere in China, the seismoscope would sense its vibrations and release one or more balls from one or more dragon heads into one or more toad mouths. The direction from which an earthquake came could be determined by which ball fell into which toad mouth.
Zhang Heng’s seismoscope was an ingenious device that demonstrated his understanding of mechanics and physics. It could detect earthquakes hundreds or thousands of kilometers away before they were felt by people near their epicenters. It could also distinguish between different magnitudes and directions of earthquakes. It was used by Chinese officials to send aid to affected regions.
Zhang Heng’s seismoscope remained unrivaled for centuries until modern seismometers were developed in the 19th century CE. However, his invention still inspires admiration and curiosity among scientists and historians today.
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