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November 30, 2006
Ancient Computer Decoded
Dated: November 29, 2006
Antikythera Conference Begins Thursday
SOURCE: Wired News
"Decoding The Antikythera Mechanism: Science and Technology in Ancient Greece," a conference beginning Thursday's in Athens, is devoted solely to a 2,000 year old bronze artefact that has puzzled and baffled scientists for more than 100 years. Now, an Anglo-Greek team has, according to reports, found the solution to the device's secrets.
Of all the technological puzzles presented by our own past, the Antikythera Mechanism is among the most fascinating. Greek fire? Little more than lime and old bones, a formula for napalm. Babylon's batteries? Mere strips of copper and nickel. Roman steam engines? Toys for wealthy equites.
But the mechanism... an intricate analog computer, produced by ancient Mediterranean clockmakers, using countless cogs, and even differential gears, to plot the movements of heavenly bodies. It is, if nothing else, a true gadget: a portable, small form-factor computing device both useful and beautiful.
For the full article, click here.
Posted by andrewanissi at November 30, 2006 01:47 PM