China wants to revive thousand-year-old earthquake meter

Zhang Heng's Earth-Dynamic Machine was once suspected to be a legend, but now Chinese scientists are determined to restore it using modern technology.

The Houfeng Earth-Dynamic Oscillation, believed to have been built in 132 AD, could detect earthquakes from a distance and pinpoint the epicenter.

The bronze vase-shaped device with eight dragons releasing balls into the mouths of toads creates an early warning mechanism when the ground shakes.

Although records in the Book of Later Han confirm its accuracy, the device has been rejected by many modern scholars and removed from textbooks in 2017.

Associate Professor Tu Quoc Dong and a Chinese research team are reconstructing the machine based on modern physics and mechanics simulations and ancient texts.

The new model shows a pendulum-shaped cantilever acting as a sensor, amplifying the slightest movement of the ground.

The L-shaped lever system and locking block help the machine to only activate in one direction - similar to the description of "one moving dragon, seven motionless dragons" in history books.

The work has been published in the journal Progress in Geophysics and is expected to spark further debate about the authenticity of the artifact.

Researchers believe that the restoration not only restores Zhang Heng's reputation but also rekindles faith in ancient Asian wisdom.

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Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/trung-quoc-muon-hoi-sinh-may-do-dong-dat-nghin-nam-tuoi-post2149042003.html