A 2000-Year-Old Brass Computer
In a 2000-year-old shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island Antikythera, scientists discovered the oldest known example of a computer—a complex, computational device that predicted astrological events along a calendar year. This ancient hybrid clock/calculator, known as the Antikythera mechanism, featured brass gears and dials built from mathematical ratios. While discovered 115 years ago, it wasn’t until 1959 that Princeton science historian Derek J. de Solla Price would refer to it as a computer, because it employed “mechanical parts to save tedious calculation.” Arguably most important though, is that this level of technology is traditionally dated to the 16th century—not the first. To learn more about the incredibly piece, head over to Vox.
Via vox.com link opens in a new window
