Archimedes' Burning Glass The wall painting of Archimedes’ incredible military feat is from the Stanzino delle Matematiche in the Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence, Italy, painted by Giulio Parigi (1571-1635) in the years 1599-1600. (Full Size Image) Ancient Greek and Roman historians recorded that during the siege of Syracuse in 212 BC, Archimedes constructed a burning glass to set the Roman warships afire. The ships were anchored within bow and arrow range. The story has been much debated and often dismissed as myth. MIT recently tried to prove it by overkill.

At last in an incredible manner he [Archimedes] burned up the whole Roman fleet. For by tilting a kind of mirror toward the sun he concentrated the sun’s beam upon it; and owing to the thickness and smoothness of the mirror he ignited the air from this beam and kindled a great flame, the whole of which he directed upon the ships that lay at anchor in the path of the fire, until he consumed them all. (EPITOME TON ISTORION by John Zonaras, circa twelfth century AD)
Well, after 2200 years, I believe that I, Neddy, have solved the puzzle. To heck with those kids at MIT and their hundreds of mirrors. Archimedes did not use mirrors. He did what I did by accident. Instead of reflecting the sun’s rays, he created a transparent lens and placed it so that the sunlight could travel directly though the lens to the ships. I had about a two foot tall clear glass vase - one of those el-cheapos that you can get at the Michaels’ stores. Very plain - no cuttings. I filled it with water and sat it on my patio last Spring - I was making some non-chlorinated water for my fishpond. Then I took off for the mountains. After a couple days, my husband reported via cell phone that my clear glass vase had become a magnifying lens and with the help of the morning sun from the north-east direction, had burned a hole into the wood framing around the outside window. He was exclaiming how fortunate we were that he was at home and outside where he was able to smell the smoke. Archidedes Death Ray FAQ About Archimedes Death Ray The Burning Mirrors Image of Archimedes Archimedes Home Page Tracked at Mudville Gazette’s Open Post.