7 Ancient Technologies That Used Amazingly Advanced Science

5. Concrete - The Romans Got There First

Although most of us associate concrete with ugly '70s tower blocks, it's actually a technology that was used throughout history, most famously by the Romans. The thing is about concrete, is that it's not a case of allowing it to "set", like clay or plaster. Hardening concrete is actually a chemical reaction known as curing, something that Romans couldn't have really known about before the development of chemistry. The common misconception that concrete "dries out" as it hardens is not quite true, evident in the fact that concrete can harden underwater.

Without turning things into a snoozefest, the process, known as hydration, is a chemical reaction that causes the ingredients to form different molecular bonds, massively strengthening its structure.

The thing is, the Romans were doing this in an age when water springs were gods and owls were bad omens. They even managed to use the technology to build the largest unreinforced concrete dome ever, that is still unsurpassed my modern technology.