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How Roman engineers moved water uphill without pumps

Original: 🏛️ TIL: Roman # aqueducts mostly relied on # gravity , but some routes had to cross # valleys or climb slopes. Engineers

Roman aqueducts are best known for running on gravity alone, but not every route allowed a simple downhill channel. Where valleys or slopes got in the way, engineers built inverted siphons: water dropping down one side created enough pressure to push it back up through towers into a receiving tank on the other side. They also used Archimedes screws in some settings, showing a sophisticated practical grasp of hydraulics.

Why now: The ingenuity of ancient Roman hydraulic engineering keeps fascinating science and history enthusiasts online.

Roman EmpireRoman aqueductsArchimedes

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• 🏛️ TIL: Roman # aqueducts mostly relied on # gravity , but some routes had to cross # valleys or climb slopes. Engineers built inverted # siphons , using downhill pressure to push water back up through towers and into a receiving tank. Elsewhere they used # Archimedes screws,… · tksst@fediscience.org · 8

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