# 212 BC Death Ray!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/212-bc-death-ray/327059>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 20, 2005, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/212-bc-death-ray/327059 "2005-10-20T11:28:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fighting\_ignorant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ac8455/32.png) [@fighting\_ignorant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fighting_ignorant)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/212-bc-death-ray/327059/1 "2005-10-20T11:28:14Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Ancient Greek and Roman historians recorded that during the siege of Syracuse in 212 BC, Archimedes (a notably smart person) constructed a burning glass to set the Roman warships, anchored within bow and arrow range, afire. The story has been much debated and oft dismissed as myth.

David Wallace, MIT professor, takes up the challenge:

[http://web.mit.edu/2.009/www/lectures/10\_ArchimedesResult.html](http://web.mit.edu/2.009/www/lectures/10_ArchimedesResult.html)  
Cool.

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**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/212-bc-death-ray/327059/2 "2005-10-20T12:30:41Z")

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Been there, done that.

At least one, & possibly several, other Threads.  
I am too lazy to search for em.

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2005, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/212-bc-death-ray/327059/3 "2005-10-20T12:33:21Z")

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I’m not:

Same Title and Everything!  
[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=340395&highlight=Archimedes](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=340395&highlight=Archimedes)

Almost the same title, but earlier:

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=339599&highlight=Archimedes](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=339599&highlight=Archimedes)