Scientists unravel world's ‘oldest computer’

The tool found in 1901 in a Roman-era sunken ship from Greece called Antikythera, has been bothering experts for many years. The ancient Greek hand-powered instrument is thought to have been used to predict solar or lunar eclipses as well as other astronomical events.

As about two-thirds of the device has been destroyed which is making difficult for experts to recreate or figure out that what it looked like. The working mechanism of the device was cracked in the previous research, but its complex gear system is still a puzzle for scientists.

Experts at University College London believe they have solved the mystery with the help of 3D computer modelling and hope to create a perfect prototype of the tool using modern resources.

New images of the device's complex gear system have been published in the journal Scientific Reports, showing a very detailed picture of the system.

Professor Tony Freith, who led the study, said, "Ancient Greek intelligence is evident in ‘Antikythera mechanism’ that clearly shows the sun, moon and other planets."

"Our model is in line with all the existing evidences and the mechanical scripts on it," he said.

Antikythera has also been called the astronomical calculator and is also known as the world's first analogue computer. The oldest computer was believed to be made of copper and had dozens of gears.

Back when the device was found, about 82 pieces, or one-third of it was only found. Scientists have had to build the rest of the mechanism with the help of X-rays and a Greek mathematical model.