TY - JOUR
T1 - New light on an ancient illumination
T2 - The pharos of alexandria
AU - Elnashai, A. S.
AU - Di Sarno, L.
AU - Carter, M. D.
N1 - Funding Information:
On behalf of my co-authors, I dedicate this paper to Professor M.S. El Naschie on the occasion of honoring his achievements in Physics by Chinese Scholars. This opening sentence warrants explanation on three fronts. First, the authors, who are they, and what do they have to do with the subject and the subject of the dedication? Second, what does the Pharos of Alexandria has to do with the physics of Professor M.S. El Naschie. And third, why am I dedicating the paper to Professor M.S. El Naschie. On the first front, I have the honor of being El Naschie's full blood brother, in spite of the difference in spelling of our family names, and of the difference in scientific abilities. I am but a director of a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center, and a named Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My co-authors Dr. Di Sarno was my MS student at Imperial College, and remains as a close collaborator and friend. Through him, I had the fortune of knowing Ms. Carter, who is a historian by training and a brilliant author of many books. She took the initiative of conducting the research leading to this paper motivated by her keen interest in the Orient, especially the Mediterranean, and by a short article which I wrote on the Pharos and the Alexandria Library for the US-based Mid-America Earthquake Center Newsletter (www.mae.uiuc.edu). With regard to the second front, answering the question of 'what does the Pharos have to do with the physics of El Naschie?' includes metaphysical and physical arguments. The Pharos was a revelation, a beacon of light, and one of the most, if not THE most, enduring and impressive of the Severn Wonders of the Ancient World. El Naschie's discoveries and the universal acknowledgement of these are a wonder of the modern world. As the physicist who is unifying all forces, his discoveries are and will be the most enduing since Einstein. He is certainly a beacon of light to scientists and the young generations. Finally, the Pharos was designed in the Alexandria Library, and El Naschie is a frequent and most distinguished visitor and friend of the same Library. Therefore, the relationship between the Pharos and El Naschie, though it eludes the casual eye, is fundamental and most
PY - 2006
Y1 - 2006
N2 - One of the seven 'Wonders of the Ancient World' according to medieval chroniclers, the Pharos has given its name to lighthouses around the world, and remains a symbol of ancient engineering and construction skills. Yet, invested as it was by ancient Roman and medieval Arab writers with magical, almost supernatural powers, data concerning the design and functioning of the tower remain sketchy. The tallest stone tower in the world for more than 17 centuries, the integrity of the Pharos withstood the weathering of ages, until a series of earthquakes caused its top tiers to fall, leading to its effective demolition in the 14th century. This paper re-examines the historical literature concerning the Pharos to provide a reappraisal of this venerable monument that fell victim to repeated Mediterranean earthquakes.
AB - One of the seven 'Wonders of the Ancient World' according to medieval chroniclers, the Pharos has given its name to lighthouses around the world, and remains a symbol of ancient engineering and construction skills. Yet, invested as it was by ancient Roman and medieval Arab writers with magical, almost supernatural powers, data concerning the design and functioning of the tower remain sketchy. The tallest stone tower in the world for more than 17 centuries, the integrity of the Pharos withstood the weathering of ages, until a series of earthquakes caused its top tiers to fall, leading to its effective demolition in the 14th century. This paper re-examines the historical literature concerning the Pharos to provide a reappraisal of this venerable monument that fell victim to repeated Mediterranean earthquakes.
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U2 - 10.1515/IJNSNS.2006.7.2.137
DO - 10.1515/IJNSNS.2006.7.2.137
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:33645761379
SN - 1565-1339
VL - 7
SP - 137
EP - 148
JO - International Journal of Nonlinear Sciences and Numerical Simulation
JF - International Journal of Nonlinear Sciences and Numerical Simulation
IS - 2
ER -