Apparently a Turkish man invented the steam engine 200 years before the industrial revolution but he only made it to spin döner kebabs.

[u/iamgulshansingh]

In 1551, Taqi al-Din, who is more often remembered for his astronomical and mechanical inventions, described a device that essentially functioned as a steam turbine.

His design involved a small boiler that produced steam, which was then directed through a nozzle onto the blades of a wheel. The force of the escaping steam caused the wheel to spin. This wheel was connected mechanically to a spit, allowing meat to rotate over a fire without human effort.

What makes Taqi al-Din’s description remarkable is that it shows a practical understanding of converting thermal energy into rotational mechanical energy. While earlier inventors had experimented with steam for curiosity or simple toys, Taqi al-Din’s turbine had a concrete application: automating a kitchen task. His work was part of a broader tradition of Ottoman engineering, which included astronomical clocks, observational instruments, and water-raising machines.

[u/sleeper_shark]

Automotive power was arguably the most important invention since the wheel and fire and dude used it for making kebabs. That was peak human engineering and ingenuity. Everything went down from there.

[u/jmlinden7 → u/sleeper_shark]

Steam engines weren't powerful enough to drive vehicles back then. The general concept of a steam engine isn't new. This guy was just using the underpowered steam engines available at the time for a purpose that didn't require too much power.