This 1,600-Year-Old Goblet Shows that the Romans Were Nanotechnology Pioneers

Smithsonian magazine ^ | September 2013 | Zeeya Merali

[SunkenCiv]

Researchers have finally found out why the jade-green cup appears red when lit from behind

[SunkenCiv]

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

What a beautiful object!

[Thom Pain]

Can’t wait until I can dynamically change my car’s paint color by selectively modifying the electric charge (low voltage) applied to the car’s frame/body. White during the hot, sunny Summer, and black (not the racist kind) to absorb the Sun’s heat during the Winter and the coming Little Ice-Age.

(BTW, I hold the patent rights.)

[2banana]

Also a warning of what you will look like after too much wine...!

[mrreaganaut]

Roman tech ping!

[Little Ray]

Once guess was that it detects poison by changing colors.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Truly amazing...how in the world did they guess that continuing to grind down the size of the materials that they would exhibit these properties? Thanks for posting this.

[null and void]

The same way the modern chocolate manufacturing technique was discovered.

Forget to turn off the grinder over the weekend...

[OldNewYork]

Very interesting. I wonder how they discovered this. Where are the artefacts showing development toward this?

[SunkenCiv]

Interesting.

[gr8eman]

How did you isolate the car’s electronics that use chassis ground?

[SunkenCiv]

The Etruscans produced a fine ground gold dust which they used to simulate the fuzz on their imitation peaches (sort of like the old wax fruit displays older folks had for centerpieces on their tables). Probably the Romans picked up that technique from them, they learned a lot from the Etruscans.

[rottndog]

...how in the world did they guess that continuing to grind down the size of the materials that they would exhibit these properties?

[CrazyIvan]

And you would never use this feature to elude the police?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

LOL...how’d they keep the mule moving? He probably quit chasing the carrot and died in his tracks.

[null and void]

Some were water powered.

[familyop]

And the Huns were pioneers in psychology and physical fitness. ;-)

[bgill]

Since the researchers couldn’t put liquid into the precious artifact itself

And why the heck not? They subjected it to much more by cleaning it than water or wine would do to it.

[bgill]

Have it change colors when passing a speed scanner and you’ll be a millionaire.