Lego Antikythera Mechanism

YouTube ^ | 09 Dec 2010 | NatureVideoChannel

[Ro_Thunder]

Cool video of the Antikythera Mechanism rebuilt in Lego, and how it works.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Wish I had time and money to hire somebody smart to go over that with me.

Go to the library: http://www.decodingtheheavens.com/ Jo Marchant will fill you in.

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

That’s correct.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Because those lovely barbarians known as “Mohammetans” burned the library of Alexandria.

In fairness, almost all of what we know of classical Greek literature, mathematics and science is from translations and copies that came down to us from the Islamic University at Damascus. Arabic and Persian scholarship in the Middle Ages was of a very high standard, outstripping Europe by centuries. One side effect of the Crusades was to expose Europeans to their own intellectual heritage. To some extend Roman and Greek writings were seen as anti-Christian or at least in competition with Christianity during the "dark ages".

Today, it is the Islamists who are regressive and closed minded.

[SunkenCiv]

Right. There's a persistent myth that Caesar burned the library, but since it is known to have continued to exist thereafter, and the line that describes the event cites "some books which chanced to be there". The library was known as "the ships' library" because its founder had ships in the very busy port searched, any books found removed and copied, and the copies taken back to the ship, with the original archived.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

George Bernard Shaw helped propagate the anti-Ceasar slander, in part because Shaw was a smartass and that’s what a smartass would do.

[new cruelty]

Amazing.

Bookmarking for later.

Btw, I think I accidentally reported this as abuse, when I only meant to post a reply! Sorry.

[Little Ray]

Well..., Much as I hate Islam, I have to confess that there was a little looting and burning by Romans and Christians before the Moslems finished the job.

[RegulatorCountry]

Wow, somebody just has too much time on his hands, lol. But it is fascinating. Legos were my favorite toy as a child, and I had some interest in clockwork-type mechanisms. My maternal grandmother was a tad peculiar, almost entirely illiterate, part indian but descended from a prominent, old settler German family, had a house full of inherited cuckoo clocks, some quite old and elaborate. I tried to figure one of them out and recreate it with Legos. Didn’t succeed.

[FourPeas]

Very cool. Thanks for the ping.

[FourPeas]

Feel badly about playing with Legos as an adult? Banish the thought!

To take constructing with Legos to another level, you might take a look at Lego Digital Designer. Yes, you can now design your own Lego creation ~and~ order it in kit form (be prepared for sticker shock). Beware, though, it's addicting.

[SunkenCiv]

Plus, he wore that ghoti.

[SunkenCiv]

[RegulatorCountry]

Carthenge, lol.

[TheOldLady]

Except that the library was burned before Jesus was born.

But I'm sure that the mozlems would have burned it if they had had the chance.

[TheOldLady]

That is just amazing.

[TheOldLady]

BCE = Before Christian Era.

And of course:

CE = Christian Era

Ha ha ha! Did they think we wouldn’t get around their nonsense? They’ll have to change it again now. Ha ha ha!

[SunkenCiv]

:’)

[dsc]

“Go to the library: http://www.decodingtheheavens.com/ Jo Marchant will fill you in.”

Thanks.

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure, have a great weekend. Two weeks until Christmas!