on 5/1/03 6:46 pm, Jim Bowles at [log in to unmask] wrote:

> Let's say it's year 2410 and someone finds a 1937 Ford V/8-60 engine in the
> sand. No other
> cultural records exist anywhere .. can't that futuristic person disassemble
> the engine and in
> measuring the
> components realize that all pistons are the same diameter w/in .001 inches?
> Concluding that the
> mfg had precision measuring capabilities?
>
> Can't the pistons be weighed, seeing that they weigh w/in 0.01 oz of one
> another, and conclude
> that the mfg had precision scales and standards.
>
> Can't they spin the crank and see that it's balanced w/in 1 in oz, concluding
> that the mfg knew
> what rotational balance was all about?


Well, for one thing, I can guarantee you that they won't be measuring in
inches and ounces.


Alasdair Brooks




~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dr. Alasdair Brooks
Department of Archaeology
La Trobe University
Plenty Road
Bundoora VIC 3083
Australia
Phone - 03 9479 3269
E-mail - [log in to unmask]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The buffalo tastes the same
on both sides of the border"
Sitting Bull