Anthikythera mechanism

The analysis of the Antikythera mechanisms is again a big step further. They think now that it has been used for lunar and solar eclipses and possibly also for the predicting the movement of the planets. In order for this reconstruction to work they needed 72 gears. And interestingly they incorporated a solution for ellipticity of orbits. I find the most interesting however that the fact that this device was created some 100 years BC. This kind of knowledge only resurfaces may centuries later. It is a very complex device and it surely can not be a one off. Probably there are centuries of knowlegde behind this. Very intriguing.

Categories: Science
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