Scientists Taken Aback By 2k Year Old Computing Mechanism

An astronomical computing mechanism consisting of really complex gear systems dating back to 2nd Century B.C. (150-100 B.C.) has taken the computer scientists by surprise. Apparently this device was recovered from an ancient shipwreck about a century ago.

 

Recently the device has been thoroughly re-examined using ultra-modern imaging systems and 3D X-Ray tomography revealing loads of inscriptions which enabled the scientists to reconstruct most of the gear mechanism. The system, named The Antikythera Mechanism is often called the World's First Computer. The investigations revealed an an âunexpected degree of technical sophistication for the period" and surprisingly âmuch of the mind-boggling technological sophistication available in some parts of the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman world was simply not transmitted further.â

 

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A computer in antiquity would seem to be an anachronism, like Athena ordering takeout on her cellphone.

 

But a century ago, pieces of a strange mechanism with bronze gears and dials were recovered from an ancient shipwreck off the coast of Greece. Historians of science concluded that this was an instrument that calculated and illustrated astronomical information, particularly phases of the Moon and planetary motions, in the second century B.C.

 

The Antikythera Mechanism, sometimes called the worldâs first computer, has now been examined with the latest in high-resolution imaging systems and three-dimensional X-ray tomography. A team of British, Greek and American researchers was able to decipher many inscriptions and reconstruct the gear functions, revealing, they said, âan unexpected degree of technical sophistication for the period.â

 

The researchers, led by Tony Freeth and Mike G. Edmunds, both of the University of Cardiff, Wales, are reporting the results of their study in Thursdayâs issue of the journal Nature.

 

They said their findings showed that the inscriptions related to lunar-solar motions and the gears were a mechanical representation of the irregularities of the Moonâs orbital course across the sky, as theorized by the astronomer Hipparchos. They established the date of the mechanism at 150-100 B.C.

 

The Roman ship carrying the artifacts sank off the island of Antikythera around 65 B.C. Some evidence suggests that the ship had sailed from Rhodes. The researchers speculated that Hipparchos, who lived on Rhodes, might have had a hand in designing the device.

 

In another article in the journal, a scholar not involved in the research, François Charette of the University of Munich museum, in Germany, said the new interpretation of the Antikythera Mechanism âis highly seductive and convincing in all of its details.â It is not the last word, he concluded, âbut it does provide a new standard, and a wealth of fresh data, for future research.â

 

Historians of technology think the instrument is technically more complex than any known device for at least a millennium afterward.

 

The mechanism, presumably used in preparing calendars for seasons of planting and harvesting and fixing religious festivals, had at least 30, possibly 37, hand-cut bronze gear-wheels, the researchers reported. An ingenious pin-and-slot device connecting two gear-wheels induced variations in the representation of lunar motions according to the Hipparchos model of the Moonâs elliptical orbit around Earth.

 

The functions of the mechanism were determined by the numbers of teeth in the gears. The 53-tooth count of certain gears, the researchers said, was âpowerful confirmation of our proposed model of Hipparchosâ lunar theory.â

 

The detailed imaging revealed more than twice as many inscriptions as had been recognized from earlier examinations. Some of these appeared to relate to planetary as well as lunar motions. Perhaps, the researchers said, the mechanism also had gearings to predict the positions of known planets.

 

Dr. Charette noted that more than 1,000 years elapsed before instruments of such complexity are known to have re-emerged. A few artifacts and some Arabic texts suggest that simpler geared calendrical devices had existed, particularly in Baghdad around A.D. 900.

 

It seems clear, Dr. Charette said, that âmuch of the mind-boggling technological sophistication available in some parts of the Hellenistic and Greco-Roman world was simply not transmitted further,â adding, âThe gear-wheel, in this case, had to be reinvented.â

 

Source: http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

 

The Greeks probably had never heard of of the "ISO Standardized Documentation" ...

I don't think they really could've cared about ISO since there's no data storage system :Pnice find by the way, really interesting.xboxrulz

Yet another proof that Stargate SG-1 has some truth to it. Or not.

Although That is old news right there with an update twist, the Antikythera mechanism is considered the most advanced analog device of that time. They tried recreating it, they did it but it did not match the original design due to the fact of how water logged it was. Saw this on the History channel, when they talked about the advance technology during ancient Greece and Rome. Especially in the realm of analog type devices it was pretty interesting.Although I am bit surprise that they are still trying to figure this computer out still. It's been like what 30-40 years since they made a replica of it that their still trying to figure it out.

Scientists trying to realize and reproduce the mechanism for decades shows the difference between some very intelligent people, and a genius.About History channel, I'm impressed on how engineers could make such huge war catapults for example, at those old times, with much less resources than nowadays, and even now we can't reproduce them very well, using hi-tech tools.

About History channel, I'm impressed on how engineers could make such huge war catapults for example, at those old times, with much less resources than nowadays, and even now we can't reproduce them very well, using hi-tech tools.

Well, I'm always of the opinion that people last time and people now are mostly of the same "innate intelligence", even though now we have computers, ipods, automobiles, fighter jets, etc. It is just that people now have access to a huge storage of knowledge that they can leverage on to create useful products and to discover more new knowledge. It doesn't surprise me if scientists today cannot replicate exactly the ancient tools used if the knowledge to produce them is gone. You basically would need to find a genius to figure out the problem, since a genius might have created that ancient tools in the first place. Like what KDEWolf said, the difference between some very intelligent people and a genius.

what about Archimedes death ray (for those who watch the myth busters), if we were to compare intelligence the Greeks and Romans would have todays genius look like morons. I don't even think Stephen Hawkins and his 200+ IQ could match wits with them, it be close but I would give it to them.Of course whats funny most of what the Greeks and Romans made or have invented benefited mankind and most of the stuff we have made is destroying mankind. That could be a very small reason why the Roman Empire collapse such as it did. Because they have been in control for so long their was no need to update their weapons or the way wars where done.

Of course whats funny most of what the Greeks and Romans made or have invented benefited mankind and most of the stuff we have made is destroying mankind. That could be a very small reason why the Roman Empire collapse such as it did. Because they have been in control for so long their was no need to update their weapons or the way wars where done.

Well, I would disagree with you, saint-michael. Even though the topic is about some advanced ancient tool, I feel the need to express my disagreement that advanced weaponry is the way to protect the survival of an empire or nation. Of course, you need weapons to defend your country, and preferably weapons that are more technologically advanced than your enemy. But the downfall of an empire or a powerful nation has more got to do with itself than with other people. Corruption is the prime reason of why most empires collapsed. The other is the waste of resources in fighting wars. There is only so much wars that you can fight before you stretch yourself too thin. A bad stroke of luck, and you would see your whole nation/empire collapsed right before your eyes. Real wars are not like those we play on the computer, where if you have better troops, you would win. History is full of examples where troops of insignificant quality defeated better equipped and feared troops.