Hacker Newsnew | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submitlogin

> It makes me think about how many ancient ruins don't exist simply because the people nearby didn't see reason not to reuse all that convenient unowned pre-quarried rock.

In the case of Ostia near Rome, they mined it for building material until it became a malaria swamp. It wasn't drained until the 20th century. Around 20% of the workers draining the swap contracted malaria.



Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: