A new article in the journal Nature claims to have decoded some of the riddles of the famous ‘Bronze Age computer’ known as the Antikythera device:
Using advanced imaging techniques, an Anglo-Greek team probed the remaining fragments of the complex geared device. The results show it could have been used to predict solar and lunar eclipses. The elaborate arrangement of bronze gears may also have displayed planetary information.
The claim is not supported by all however. One of the more interesting quotes though is this from researcher Michael Wright: “The designer and maker of the device knew what they wanted to achieve and they did it expertly; they made no mistakes…To do this, it can’t have been very far from their every day stock work.” There’s more information at the New York Times, and Nature is also offering a long article about it for free on their website.
