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18th-century mechanical volcano roars to life 250 years later
A mechanical artwork first imagined in 1775 to recreate the eruption of Italy's Mount Vesuvius has been brought to life for the first time, 250 years after it was conceived.
Summary
A mechanical artwork first imagined in 1775 to recreate the eruption of Italy's Mount Vesuvius has been brought to life for the first time, 250 years after it was conceived. The revival was made possible through modern technology and the creativity of two engineering students at the University of Melbourne. The original idea came from Sir William Hamilton, British ambassador to Naples and Sicily from 1765 to 1800, who was also deeply interested in volcanology.
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