Posted on 07/31/2008 8:35:20 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
The Antikythera Mechanism, sometimes called the first analog computer, was recovered more than a century ago in the wreckage of a ship that sank off the tiny island of Antikythera, north of Crete. Earlier research showed that the device was probably built between 140 and 100 B.C.
Only now, applying high-resolution imaging systems and three-dimensional X-ray tomography, have experts been able to decipher inscriptions and reconstruct functions of the bronze gears on the mechanism. The latest research has revealed details of dials on the instrument's back side, including the names of all 12 months of an ancient calendar.
In the journal report, the team led by the mathematician and filmmaker Tony Freeth of the Antikythera Mechanism Research Project, in Cardiff, Wales, said the month names "are unexpectedly of Corinthian origin," which suggested "a heritage going back to Archimedes."
No month names on what is called the Metonic calendar were previously known, the researchers noted. Such a calendar, as well as other knowledge displayed on the mechanism, illustrated the influence of Babylonian astronomy on the Greeks. The calendar was used by Babylonians from at least the early fifth century B.C.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
A mechanism that computes the positions of the planets can be used for what other purpose?
Are you sure of that?
The way I read history, there has never been much distance between the two...hemlock and excommunication come to mind.
More recently, eugenics and the master race, A-bombs and a Nuclear Iran, come to mind.
A lot of what we call science today grew out of individual efforts that went entirely against the political, and accepted 'scientific', grain of their day.
But, most 'science' in history was sponsored by either state or church and was directed closely, ultimately determined, by either or both.
(Conveniently described by "follow the money".)
Versus:
Take a look at the Rand (US Government) version of 21st century computing at post #3.
(And remember that the first modern computer came into being before 1860 and took a century to reach that level of conjecture.)
It would have kept computing safely in the hands of only the largest institutions and supported status quo.
It was blown out of the water by a couple of outsiders with entrepreneurial goals.
Actually, the RAND corporation has never been a part of Sperry or its descendants.
The RAND corporation (RAND stands for “R and D”) was one of the original, if not THE original, think tanks set up right after WW II, and continues as such today.
The “Rand” of Sperry-Rand was named after the founder of a technical instrument company, and was merged into the Sperry corporate structure after WW I.
Glad you posted this - I saw it in USA today and we can only post the links to their stuff.
Cool pics at link
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/2008-07-30-device_N.htm
Ping for later read....
Thanks!
That instrument panel in the bckground is a reactor control station for a nuclear submarine. The left panel is the steam-plant with the large forward throttle wheel and smaller reverse throttle wheel. The central panel is the ractor control panel and the right hand panel is the electric plant control panel.
Correctamundo.
Greeks followed a celestial Olympics
Maybe the second link has something different.
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