Skaramangàs Naval Base

Greece / Attiki / Perama /
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In 1973, the Skaramagas naval base was the scene of an experiment carried out by Greek scientist Ioannis Sakkas, to test whether or not it was possible for Archimedes to use focused sunlight as "a heat ray" to burn Roman ships during the Siege of Syracuse. This event is mentioned in ancient accounts but often doubted by modern historians. In the 1973 experiment at Skaramagas's naval base, 70 mirrors with a copper coating, such as were available in Archimedes' time, did focus enough sunlight to set on fire a plywood mock-up of a Roman warship at a distance of around 50 metres (160 ft).
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skaramagas
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Coordinates:   37°59'42"N   23°34'31"E
This article was last modified 12 years ago