Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Antikythera Mechanism

NASA ^ | 23 Jul, 2023 | Image Credit & License: Marsyas, Wikipedia

[MtnClimber]

Explanation: It does what? No one knew that 2,000 years ago, the technology existed to build such a device. The Antikythera mechanism, pictured, is now widely regarded as the first computer. Found at the bottom of the sea aboard a decaying Greek ship, its complexity prompted decades of study, and even today some of its functions likely remain unknown. X-ray images of the device, however, have confirmed that a main function of its numerous clock-like wheels and gears is to create a portable, hand-cranked, Earth-centered, orrery of the sky, predicting future star and planet locations as well as lunar and solar eclipses. The corroded core of the Antikythera mechanism's largest gear is featured, spanning about 13 centimeters, while the entire mechanism was 33 centimeters high, making it similar in size to a large book. Recently, modern computer modeling of missing components is allowing for the creation of a more complete replica of this surprising ancient machine.

[stickandrudder]

Look up youtuber “clickspring”. He builds one from scratch. If you like machining he does beautiful work. About 10+ videos. Well worth it.

[exPBRrat]

I think it has something to do with predicting tides.

[Arkansas Toothpick]

Indiana Jones already proved it’s a time-travel machine.

[SunkenCiv]

https://freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3944067/posts

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks MtnClimber.

[fr_freak]

The Church silenced a lot of people, Galileo chief among them.

The Church didn't silence Galileo. In fact, for most of his life, they supported him and his work. He only ran afoul of the Church when he insisted on presenting the Copernican theory as fact (which many scientists of the day disagreed with, not just the Church) and then making theological conclusions from it, and even then, the charges against him weren't that drastic. He was somewhere around 60 years old when the trial took place.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

Nancy Pelosi’s pleasure toy. It’s as old as she is!

[minnesota_bound]

Imagine a few thousand years into the future when archaeologists discover the cell phones dropped into the water. They pull the images off the memory card and see strange creatures.

The archaeologists of the future you see are insects...