Hydroscope

Last updated April 13, 2026

A hydroscope is any of several instruments related to water:

One kind is an instrument for making observations below the surface of water,^[1] such as a long tube fitted with various lenses arranged so that objects lying at the bottom can be reflected upon a screen on the deck of the ship that carries it. These are built with a large tire tube that supports the screen and covered by an acrylic dome for protection.^[2]
Another kind detects subsurface water through nuclear magnetic resonance using the surface nuclear magnetic resonance technique.
An instrument (likely a hydrometer ^[3]^[4]) described by Synesius in his Letter 15 to Hypatia, written in 402 AD.^[5]^[6] There are references to such instruments as early as the fourth century.^[7]
Another ancient Greek instrument: a water clock or clepsydra.^[4]

Sources and notes

↑ Worthington, David (2003). Dictionary of Environmental Health. London: Spon Press. p. 135. ISBN 0415267242.
↑ Giaccardi, Elisa (2012). Heritage and Social Media: Understanding Heritage in a Participatory Culture. London: Routledge. p. 222. ISBN 9780415616621.
↑ Booth, Charlotte (2017), Hypatia: Mathematician, Philosopher, Myth, London: Fonthill Media, ISBN 978-1-78155-546-0 pp.113-114
1 2 Anderson, Marlow; Katz, Victor; Wilson, Robin (2004). Sherlock Holmes in Babylon: And Other Tales of Mathematical History. The Mathematical Association of America. p. 57. ISBN 0883855461.
↑ "Synesius, Letter 015 - Livius". www.livius.org. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
↑ Waithe, M.E. (1987). Ancient women philosophers, 600 B.C. – 500 A.D. A History of Women Philosophers. Vol. 1. Springer. p. 192.
↑ Forbes, Robert James (1970). A Short History of the Art of Distillation: from the beginnings up to the death of Cellier Blumenthal. Brill. p. 25.

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[1] Worthington, David (2003). Dictionary of Environmental Health. London: Spon Press. p. 135. ISBN 0415267242.

[2] Giaccardi, Elisa (2012). Heritage and Social Media: Understanding Heritage in a Participatory Culture. London: Routledge. p. 222. ISBN 9780415616621.

[3] Booth, Charlotte (2017), Hypatia: Mathematician, Philosopher, Myth, London: Fonthill Media, ISBN 978-1-78155-546-0 pp.113-114

[Anderson-4] 1 2 Anderson, Marlow; Katz, Victor; Wilson, Robin (2004). Sherlock Holmes in Babylon: And Other Tales of Mathematical History. The Mathematical Association of America. p. 57. ISBN 0883855461.

[5] "Synesius, Letter 015 - Livius". www.livius.org. Retrieved 2019-02-06.

[6] Waithe, M.E. (1987). Ancient women philosophers, 600 B.C. – 500 A.D. A History of Women Philosophers. Vol. 1. Springer. p. 192.

[7] Forbes, Robert James (1970). A Short History of the Art of Distillation: from the beginnings up to the death of Cellier Blumenthal. Brill. p. 25.

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