373
Me_irl (thelemmy.club)
submitted 3 months ago by to c/me_irl@lemmy.world
71 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Lead is actually a great example of a metal with incredibly high electrical resistance. It’s technically conductive, yes, but you’re not going to make any electricity with it.

Steel, being one of the first alloys commonly made, also has high electrical resistance. Gold and copper would work, but it would be difficult to convince people in the past to use what was effectively money to create something like wire.

I mean, would you chop up some dollar bills to make strips of cloth that are part of a machine you’ve never heard of from some guy claiming to be a time traveler?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago

    I'd let that person earn a few bucks. Also gold and copper wire did exist in those times, but it was commonly used as part of jewelry. Well depending on where you are. Ideally you're in an urban environment with administrative rule. The new languages will be difficult to learn but any Egyptian or Mesopotamian society is going to value someone who can do arithmetic in their head. Earning money from that to buy equipment is going to be the key.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

    I mean, would you chop up some dollar bills to make strips of cloth that are part of a machine you’ve never heard of from some guy claiming to be a time traveler?

    If you can melt it back down into money after trying it, sure.

    There are plenty of examples of gold and copper jewelry at the time, so people (at least somewhat wealthy people) would be no strangers to using it for 'frivolous' purposes sometimes.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent