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When it comes to ancient ancestors, people generally tend to think of them as backward and ignorant. But in reality, our ancestors demonstrated extraordinary wisdom in many ways! 3000 BC: Prosthetics. The artificial toes in ancient Egypt were not only effective but also considered from an aesthetic perspective. Additionally, in ancient India around 800 BC, people were already able to use skin from the forehead or cheeks to reshape the nose. 2600 BC: Sewage treatment – Early sewage treatment facilities appeared in ancient China, ancient Rome, and ancient Babylon, including structures similar to toilets and urban sewer systems. 2500 BC: Batteries – The “Babylonian battery” invented by the ancient Babylonians consisted of copper tubes and iron rods inside ceramic containers, capable of generating a certain voltage. 420 BC: Flamethrowers – The ancient Greeks used flamethrowers, also known as “Greek fire”; these devices utilized copper tubes to project flammable liquid mixtures, with remarkable power. 400 BC: Alarms – The philosopher Plato used a water container to produce sound signals, while ancient China and the Middle East developed further hydraulic alarm systems. The first mechanically operated bell appeared in China in the 8th century AD, and it reached Europe in the 14th century. 323 BC: Robots – The earliest “robots” were female figures installed in lighthouses, which would turn around at set times to ring bells. 1st century AD: Automatic doors – In ancient Greece, an early prototype of a steam engine was used in conjunction with a mechanism that controlled doors; these devices resembled automatic doors, but only priests could use them. 1st century AD: Vending machines – In ancient Alexandria, Egypt, people could purchase holy water for washing their hands in temples – by inserting coins into a device, water would automatically flow out. 1st century AD: Odometers – Early instruments used to measure the distance traveled by vehicles, invented by the Chinese philosopher and scientist Zhang Heng. 132 AD: Seismograph – Zhang Heng’s seismograph was a device that looked strange but was quite accurate; beneath each dragon head, there was a toad corresponding to it. In the event of an earthquake, the copper ball located in the dragon’s mouth in the corresponding direction falls into the toad’s mouth. 100 BC: The Antikythera Mechanism was a device composed of a series of adjustable copper gears, cranks, and dials. It was used by astronomers to calculate the orbital periods of celestial bodies, and its sophistication remained unmatched for a thousand years after it was invented. 10th century: Sunglasses. It is generally believed that the Inuit invented this tool to prevent themselves from developing snow blindness. Their “sunglasses” are not made of glass, but rather of walrus ivory. The earliest glass sunglasses appeared in China during the 12th century. So never underestimate your ancestors; if you don’t work hard, you might not be able to match them!