As I traveled through the Middle East I was amazed at what they managed to build in ancient times. They solved incredible problems using only what they had on hand.
They moved water. In 22 B.C. Herod the Great built an aqueduct for six miles from Mt. Carmel to Caesarea with just at the right slope to allow water to run downhill. In 701 B.C., Hezekiah build a 1700 foot tunnel under Jerusalem to bring water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam. They started digging at each end and met in the middle over 100 feet below the ground. You can still see the aqueducts in Caesarea and walk through Hezekiah’s tunnel. Both incredible experiences.
They built monuments. The huge pyramids of Giza amaze me. The very tall obelisks standing in Luxor are beautiful. The engineering required to build the pyramids or raise up the obelisks is pretty impressive. When you see these several thousand year old wonders and still feel impressed, you know they did some pretty good work in those days.
I guess the point is that people have solved hard problems for thousands of years. We do amazing things when we put our minds to it. One of the things that make humans unique is our ability to solve increasingly complex problems by learning how others solved problems in the past.
Don’t forget to use what others have learned when you try to solve a problem. What have you learned from others that has help you solve a problem?
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I like to solve problems with technology. In this blog, I'd like to share some of my ideas and also tell you about solutions I am currently working on. Welcome, and please share your own ideas with me by leaving a comment.
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