In ancient Greece, the concept of vacuum first began to take shape within the philosophical thinking of the time. Aristotle strongly opposed the existence of a vacuum, believing that nature could not tolerate emptiness. His theory was based on the principle that "nature abhors a vacuum," a view that influenced thought for centuries to follow. However, contemporary with Aristotle were atomists such as Democritus, who boldly proposed that matter consisted of atoms and void, thereby implying the possibility of a vacuum. These debates sparked humanity's initial exploration of vacuum. Although lacking experimental support at the time, they sowed the seeds for the scientific revolution to come. During the Middle Ages,

During the Renaissance, exploration of the vacuum experienced a pivotal turning point. In the early 17th century, the Italian scientist Evangelista Torricelli successfully created a partial vacuum for the first time through his famous mercury column experiment, thereby proving the existence of a vacuum and measuring atmospheric pressure. This experiment shocked the scientific community as it directly refuted Aristotle's theories, sparking intense debate regarding the physical properties of vacuums. Torricelli's discovery also led to the invention of the barometer, enabling humans for the first time to accurately predict weather changes and greatly advancing the fields of meteorology and engineering. At the same time, French philosopher Blaise Pascal further deepened this research, verifying the variation of atmospheric pressure with altitude through high-altitude experiments, thus reinforcing vacuum theory. These achievements marked the transformation of vacuum from an abstract philosophical concept into an observable physical phenomenon, ushering in a new era of experimental science and laying the foundation for subsequent developments in vacuum technology.