coin articles
Where and when did Hero of Alexandria live when inventing the first known vending apparatus?
What substance did Hero of Alexandria's apparatus dispense in Egyptian temples?
What core physical principles powered Hero's timed dispensing system described in Pneumatica?
How did the weight of the coin initiate water flow in Hero's specific lever mechanism?
What characterized the historical period immediately following Hero's vending creation?
What category of low-value items were initially dispensed by commercial precursors in London in the 1850s?
What physical characteristics did early 19th-century mechanical verification systems typically rely upon?
What contrasting societal applications defined Hero's invention versus 19th-century vending machines?
What core human desire is identified as the driving force behind vending technology from Alexandria to London?