Was the Ark of the Covenant really a kind of Leyden Jar?
From Thothweb...
"The Ark of the Covenant was a machine designed, created and used for a specific purpose, and the technology involved is easily understood by anyone who has ever received a shock from a supermarket trolley or had the misfortune to wear nylon. Today, the concepts behind the Ark are readily understood, but at the time of its creation it must have been beyond the comprehension of most people, an awe-inspiring artefact."
Was the Ark of the Covenant a capacitor?
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Was the Ark of the Covenant a capacitor?
Post #1And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto His people. Exodus 32:14
Re: Was the Ark of the Covenant a capacitor?
Post #11IIRC, there was some evidence that Ancient Egyptians used electroplating to gold-plate their jewelry. If that's true (I don't have a source for you, so you don't have to believe me), then it's feasible that other peoples would have access to similar technology, ancient Hebrews included.
Post #12
Why is a naturalistic explanation preferable to a supernatural one?
And why all this discussion? Do any of you think the Bible is a reliable historical document?
And why all this discussion? Do any of you think the Bible is a reliable historical document?
Post #13
wgreen wrote:Why is a naturalistic explanation preferable to a supernatural one?The same reason that a real Doctor preferable to a Witch-Doctor.
I bet there are a few here that do! I think it's an interesting discussion though. The Bible is a historical document after all and it can give many glimpses of an archaic world and the minds of those inhabiting it. It's interesting to overlay the knowledge of the ancient Greeks and see those areas that correspond to particular branches of philosophy. It's the philosophy and knowledge that's left out that fascinates me most though!wgreen wrote:And why all this discussion? Do any of you think the Bible is a reliable historical document?
Post #14
goat
The description IS a lot like a Leydon jar(two conductive masses, seperated by an insulator). Arid conditions(desert) are conducive to static buildup, especially if the outside conductive mass was exposed to wind. And while I did not see that particular show, I doubt they invested the money cladding a large wooden box with gold leaf, inside and out, making sure the two sides were ABSOLUTELY electricly seperate(This would include using wood that was absolutely without moisture content or preservative additives, something almost immpossible to obtain in any industrialized country). The principle is sound, it is the exicution where I would expect the failure lies in this case.
Grumpy
I have seen several of mythbusters shows where their grasp of the facts has proven to be pretty loose(IE the show on aircraft/bird collisions was very poor science, as was their attempts to bust up concrete in a mixer truck. Pathetic.The 'mythbusters' show used the description in the Bible to build a 'ledyen jar' duplicate, and it did not provide a charge at all.
The description IS a lot like a Leydon jar(two conductive masses, seperated by an insulator). Arid conditions(desert) are conducive to static buildup, especially if the outside conductive mass was exposed to wind. And while I did not see that particular show, I doubt they invested the money cladding a large wooden box with gold leaf, inside and out, making sure the two sides were ABSOLUTELY electricly seperate(This would include using wood that was absolutely without moisture content or preservative additives, something almost immpossible to obtain in any industrialized country). The principle is sound, it is the exicution where I would expect the failure lies in this case.
Grumpy
