The ancient shipwreck that held the world's first computer
In short: In 1900, sponge divers found a corroded lump of rock in a Greek shipwreck. It turned out to be an archaeological marvel: a piece of clockwork so complex it remained unmatched for a millennium.
Known as the Antikythera mechanism, this artifact dates back to approximately 70 BC. For over a century, its purpose and origin remained a mystery to academics because its level of mechanical sophistication was unprecedented in antiquity.
Modern scientific analysis has finally decoded its intricate workings. The device represents a pinnacle of ancient engineering, revealing secrets about Greek technology that were lost for over 2,000 years.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Decoding the Heavens: Solving the mystery of the World's First Computer - Jo Marchant
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