The Famous Antikythera Mechanism Was a Mechanical Disaster, New Research Suggests

In 1901, sponge divers discovered an ancient shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera. Among the recovered materials, a corroded lump of metal caught the eye of archaeologist Valerios Stais. The artifact turned out to be a surprisingly complex—though fragmented—mechanical device dated between the late second and early first centuries BCE. Now called the Antikythera Mechanism, it is widely considered to be the world’s first analog computer, tracking time and astronomical events through gearwork and pointers. New research adds a twist to the story of this famous device, suggesting the Antikythera Mechanism may never have worked as intended, that it was just a fancy knickknack. The triangular shape of the gear teeth wasn’t the issue, according to new simulations—the real problem was likely flaws in the gear construction. The new work shows that even the tiniest manufacturing mistake could’ve caused the mechanism to jam or slip, raising the possibility that the Antikythe ... Read full article.