Benjamin B. Olshin
Science History Institute
Ancient Chinese sources describe some very modern-sounding technologies, including special mirrors that can look inside the body to find illnesses and vehicles that can fly. What inspired the writers of ancient texts to speculate about such advanced technological concepts? And what happened to that knowledge?
Join Benjamin B. Olshin for a talk that will explore possible answers to these questions and introduce a compelling historical mystery.
About the Speaker
Benjamin B. Olshin is a professor of history and philosophy of science and technology at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. His areas of interest include the history of cartography, early technology, and the philosophy of physics. His research has taken him around the world, from Latin America to East Asia. You can read more about lost knowledge and ancient technology in Olshin’s book Lost Knowledge: The Concept of Vanished Technologies and Other Human Histories.