Ancient Egyptian Solar Power Discovery #Egypt #egypthistory #solarenergy...

According to: SOLARQUOTES BLOG:

https://www.solarquotes.com.au/blog/ancient-egypt-solar-power/ 

Ancient Egyptians may have had access to a primitive form of solar power, according to recent research published in the International Journal of Antiquity. These findings challenge previous assumptions about the technological capabilities of ancient civilizations. The discovery suggests that ancient Egyptians used obsidian, a type of volcanic glass abundant in silicon, along with copper wire to create simple solar cells. These rudimentary solar cells, though significantly less efficient than modern ones, could have been used for electroplating and potentially other purposes. The research team, led by Professor Anna Kumar, made this discovery when investigating etched obsidian stones found near the great pyramids. The stones, dated to the Old Kingdom of Egypt, contained shallow grooves with traces of copper, indicating their potential use as solar cells. The obsidian used by ancient Egyptians contained naturally occurring boron, an element crucial for silicon solar cell production. The process of creating these ancient solar cells likely involved etching the obsidian with grooves, coating one side with clay rich in phosphorus, and inlaying copper wire into the grooves. This discovery sheds new light on ancient Egyptian technology and suggests that they may have used solar energy for purposes such as primitive electric lighting. Additionally, the research proposes a novel explanation for how the Egyptians constructed the great pyramids without the use of wheels. By laying out obsidian solar cells and charging a copper-bottomed sled with the same positive charge, the sled could hover above the path, reducing the labor required to move heavy stone blocks. The study also speculates on the use of the pyramids as energy storage units for temple lighting, powered by the solar cells during the dry season and by sand-compressed piezoelectric effect during the wet season. While the technology appears to have been lost after the Old Kingdom period, there is speculation that similar techniques may have been used outside of Egypt at later dates, as suggested by discoveries in Atlantean ruins in the Aegean Sea.