Fragments of the Antikythera mechanism were among several artifacts recovered from a shipwreck by sponge divers in 1900 and 1901. When the pieces were x-rayed decades later, researchers got a glimpse of the mechanism's surprising complexity. It contained several gears and inscriptions, and was seemingly used to track the positions of the sun, moon and planets. Scholars theorize that the device was made around the 2nd century BC, far before other known mechanisms of similar complexity.
The Ancient And Mysterious Antikythera Mechanism
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Key Facts In This Video
The front dial of the Antikythera mechanism has 365 consecutive marks, mirroring the days of the year. 01:03
The Antikythera mechanism is thought to have been able to locate the positions of the sun, moon, planets, and constellations for a given date. 01:27
A modern LEGO version of the Antikythera mechanism successfully predicted an eclipse in 2024. 03:40
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