admiring archimedes

What did this great greek brain give the world, 2 amazing laws in science without which we would still be fumbling in the pre industrial era. The law of buyoncy and the lever principle. I like the 2nd one more, because it is more thoughtful way in which archmides discovered it and of course it has also got to do with the fact that Applied strcutural mechanics is my major. The lever principle might look very elementary to a layman, but the way it was first formulated by archimedes is still astounding. He thought of the principle of virtual work during
232 B.C. when no one had thougt about such things. The statement "GIVE ME A PLACE TO STAND AND I WILL MOVE THE EARTH" was very thoughtful and confident statement from a man who the intricacies of what he was talking. I dont know why, but still such fundamental discoveries in mechanics look more convincing and show sheer talent than a new micromechanical tissue analysis or whatever!!!!!!!!!!