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Ancient Rome
Heron of Alexandria
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Heron of Alexandria |
| edHelper's suggested reading level: | grades 8 to 10 | |
| Flesch-Kincaid grade level: | 8.86 |
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Heron of Alexandria
By Vickie Chao |
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1 Our society today is a society of convenience. Many things we do involve using automated processes in one form or another. For example, when we are hungry, we can use microwaves to heat up food. When we are in shopping malls, we can take escalators to different floors. Or when we are struggling with our homework, we can use computers or surf the Internet for solutions. Modern marvels such as those have completely transformed our lives. They are very addictive. Now that we have grown accustomed to their convenience, we simply cannot fathom how people in the past could make do without the help of technology. To many people, the idea of living in a time several hundred years ago would equate to a total nightmare. But could it be really that bad? Well, surprisingly, it might not. Automation, as it turned out, was not a new concept. A Greek inventor named Heron (or Hero) already contemplated the notion some 2,000 years ago. He alone created the world's first automatic doors, the world's first vending machine, and the world's first steam engine. His innovations helped to pave the road that eventually led to the comfort that we are now taking for granted.