In 1901, sponge divers discovered a complex mechanical device in an ancient shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera. The device, known as the Antikythera Mechanism, is an ancient computer that can display various calendar functions and perform astronomical calculations. What makes this device so remarkable is that it is over 2,000 years old and uses complex gear technology that was not seen again until the Middle Ages. The origin of the Antikythera Mechanism is still a mystery, but researchers are hoping to uncover more information by revisiting the site of the discovery.
The majority of scientists believe that the Antikythera Mechanism may have originated in Rhodes, where a community of astronomers and mechanics, including Hipparchus of Nicaea and Poseidonios, lived. It is also possible that the device is connected to the city of Syracuse in Sicily, where the mathematical genius Archimedes once lived. Researchers are planning to revisit the site of the discovery, which is located in about 60 meters of water, to search for additional parts or mechanisms. They hope that with modern technology, they will be able to uncover more information about the device’s origin and possibly even discover additional ancient machines.
The researchers, led by Brendan Foley of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts and Theotokis Theodoulou of the Greek Antiquities Authority, have already obtained permission from the Greek authorities to dive at the site. They plan to explore the area around the wreck, including a nearby slope where several marble statues are believed to have fallen after the shipwreck. The researchers are optimistic that they will find more parts of the Antikythera Mechanism or even other ancient machines during their dives. By uncovering more information about this ancient computer, researchers hope to gain a better understanding of the technological advancements of the ancient world.
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