[LMB] (Chat) Just watched...

[Lois McMaster Bujold]

... a 2007 historical documentary titled _Ancient Discoveries_, courtesy 
Netflix as usual.  Studies ancient technology through 6 1-hour 
episodes.  Each episode picks out one man or a few and explores a 
technological area through the surviving writings and artifacts.  So far 
we have Archimedes (clocks and sophisticated mechanical astronomical 
calendars) , Galen (medicine -- sports medicine takes on a whole new 
twist when the sport is the gladiatorial games), and Heron of 
Alexandria, which last was a phenomenal eye-opener -- besides almost 
inventing the steam engine, he invented a sort of proto mechanical 
programming.  Highly recommended.

    Ta, L.

(The opening is marred by a trailer for some Dan Brown utter drivel, 
which was very off-putting, though it can be fast-forwarded, but the 
actual shows that followed were quite fine.)