Ancient computers from shipwrecks on the ocean floor The mysterious legacy of Archimedes

Mondo Technology Updated on 2024-02-07

If someone whispered to you that a mobile phone was dug up in the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, you would probably think that this is simply nonsense.

But the next archaeological discovery can indeed be called the weirdest one. In October 1900, Greek fishermen were diving near Antigetra when they accidentally discovered an ancient shipwreck at a depth of 30 meters under the sea. Among the items salvaged from the ship, there are three particularly unusual things that do not look like works of art because of the scales on them. After reconstruction and dating speculation, archaeologists found that it was a gear device from more than 2,000 years ago. The news shocked the archaeological community, as the earliest gears were only 800 years old.

Due to the severe corrosion of the gears by seawater, the research could not be continued until 1971, when CT scanning technology was introduced. CT scans showed that the unit was full of gears, each with an odd number of teeth, for a total of 27. Unlike modern gears, which use an even number of teeth for easy splitting, this discovery is quite unique. After research, scientists finally confirmed that this gear device was actually an ancient computer. It can calculate the orbits of the Moon and the Earth, as well as the year, month, day, time, and phases of the Moon. Scientists also speculate that the computer should also have a panel with the sun, earth, and moon depicted on it, possibly by turning a gear.

The man who was able to build such an advanced and sophisticated computer must have been a multi-talented person. So, who is this person? Through the study of the writing on the gears, it was found that this was the script of the ancient Krins, and the most famous inventor of the Krins was Archimedes. At present, this ancient computer is kept in the National Museum of Athens for future generations to visit and study.

Related Pages