News

Opinion

Editorials

What ancients can teach — a useful magic

For centuries, till recently, the 1,600-year-old Lycurgus Cup was all but magical.column

For centuries, till recently, the 1,600-year-old Lycurgus Cup was all but magical.

2 min read Oct 27, 2026 06:42 AM IST First published on: Oct 27, 2026 at 06:42 AM IST

Science fiction aficionados, among others, know of Arthur C Clarke’s Third Law: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Clarke’s dictum, more often than not, applies to speculation about humanity’s future — its influence is visible in the Dune series, Star Wars, and many other sci-fi classics. Sometimes, though, its obverse is deployed rather unthinkingly. Tales of magical weapons, flying carriages and dragons in myth and lore are seen as evidence of long-forgotten science and a glorious past. Then again, the past can contain science that’s almost magical.

For centuries, till recently, the 1,600-year-old Lycurgus Cup was all but magical.…