The Antikythera Mechanism's Geared Cosmos
In short: Recovered from a Roman shipwreck in 1901, the Antikythera Mechanism is the oldest known mechanical calculator, dating to the late second century BC. This bronze device utilized at least thirty gearwheels to model the solar system, predicting lunar and solar eclipses and tracking the positions of the five visible planets. Its design mechanized Babylonian arithmetic cycles and Greek astronomical theories, including Hipparchos' explanation of the Moon's irregular motion. For over a century, the corroded fragments were largely misunderstood until modern X-ray imaging in 2005 revealed the internal…
A 1:46 short film in the series “Forgotten Stories”, narrated by intellect_voice_01.
Sources used in this film: Nature, “Decoding the ancient Greek astronomical calculator known as the Antikythera Mechanism - Nature”; Nature, “ROLL 5, SIDE A”; Nature Portfolio (Scientific Reports) / National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “A Model of the Cosmos in the ancient Greek Antikythera Mechanism”; Nature, “Decoding the ancient Greek astronomical calculator known as the Antikythera Mechanism”; Nature, “Our current knowledge of the Antikythera Mechanism”; Smithsonian Magazine, “Decoding the Antikythera Mechanism, the First Computer”; Princeton University Press, “Novel innovations and new spaces of possibility”; Cyprus University of Technology (Digital Heritage Research Lab), “The largest fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism (fragments A, B and C) · Αψίδα”; PLOS One / National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), “Improved X-ray computed tomography reconstruction of the largest fragment of the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient Greek astronomical calculator”.
Sources used in this film
- Nature — Decoding the ancient Greek astronomical calculator known as the Antikythera Mechanism - Nature · View →
- Nature — ROLL 5, SIDE A · View →
- Nature Portfolio (Scientific Reports) / National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) — A Model of the Cosmos in the ancient Greek Antikythera Mechanism · View →
- Nature — Decoding the ancient Greek astronomical calculator known as the Antikythera Mechanism · View →
- Nature — Our current knowledge of the Antikythera Mechanism · View →
- Smithsonian Magazine — Decoding the Antikythera Mechanism, the First Computer · View →
- Princeton University Press — Novel innovations and new spaces of possibility · View →
- Cyprus University of Technology (Digital Heritage Research Lab) — The largest fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism (fragments A, B and C) · Αψίδα · View →
- PLOS One / National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) — Improved X-ray computed tomography reconstruction of the largest fragment of the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient Greek astronomical calculator · View →
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Nature: Decoding the ancient Greek astronomical calculator known as the Antikythera Mechanism - Nature
- Also: Nature: ROLL 5, SIDE A
- Also: Nature Portfolio (Scientific Reports) / National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI): A Model of the Cosmos in the ancient Greek Antikythera Mechanism
- Also: Nature: Decoding the ancient Greek astronomical calculator known as the Antikythera Mechanism
- Also: Nature: Our current knowledge of the Antikythera Mechanism
- Also: Smithsonian Magazine: Decoding the Antikythera Mechanism, the First Computer
- Also: Princeton University Press: Novel innovations and new spaces of possibility
- Also: Cyprus University of Technology (Digital Heritage Research Lab): The largest fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism (fragments A, B and C) · Αψίδα
- Also: PLOS One / National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI): Improved X-ray computed tomography reconstruction of the largest fragment of the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient Greek astronomical calculator
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