The first computer - the Antikythera mechanism

[Sundoggy]

Mechanical computer, that is. I had never heard of this. Dating back to 100 BC or so, with technology that promptly disappeared until a thousand years later. What's more, it was designed to calculate the position off the moon and planets - maybe even being heliocentric, which would all by itself be nearly an anachronism. Enough to start theories about aliens!

Check it out:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism

And for anyone who missed it, very much related is this story about a group who finally actually built Babbage's difference engine:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/710950.stm

[Forkboy]

1. Now that's just cool.

Real interesting stuff. Thanks!

[LongTomH]

2. Carl Sagan commented on this device on Cosmos

He maintained that, if the civilization that produced the Antikythera machine had continued to progress, we would be at Alpha Centauri now! Really sad when you think about it.

[Occulus]

3. Here's a picture of what a 'new' one might look like

Front:



Back: