Watched an extremely interesting hour long show on my cable Science Channel
about the Antikythera Mechanism , that is being billed as an ancient
computer and was found off the coast of the island Antikythera in Greece.
The device has been named the Antikythera mechanism and it is estimated to
be around 2,000 years old. Researchers believe it was used to calculate the
movement of stars and planets. It appears the device very precisely
predicted the orbit of the Moon, including the variation of its elliptical
orbit. They said it was done with a slot in one of the gears, which
contained a movable pin the compensated for the variations of the Moon's
orbital speed and distance. The replica, made by scientists, was crafted
from brass, but I don't know if the ancient Greeks possessed the means to
make brass, much less shape it into precise gears and the manually file the
teeth into said gears. It also tracked and predicted the orbits of the
planets, including their elliptical variances. The device is made up of 30
gears within a wooden frame which is decorated with 2,000 characters which
researchers have just now begun to decipher. Even though the device was used
by ancient Greeks, it was found in the remains of a Roman ship. Researchers
accredit Archimedes as the designer of the device and he probably had a hand
in its construction.
I can't wait for the rerun, so that I can pay closer attention this time.