The Ancient Computer: 2000-Year-Old Technology That Shouldn't Exist

X-Ray Tomography Analysis and 3D Reconstruction

The Antikythera Mechanism Research Project, led by Dr. Tony Freeth of University College London, conducted extensive X-ray computed tomography analysis between 2005-2021. The international team included researchers from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, and Cardiff University. High-resolution 3D imaging revealed the mechanism originally contained at least 37 bronze gears arranged in complex gear trains. The scans uncovered over 3,400 characters of ancient Greek text inscribed on the bronze plates, describing astronomical cycles, eclipse predictions, and operational instructions. Gear ratios were precisely calculated to track lunar months, solar years, and planetary positions with remarkable accuracy. The complete research findings were published in Scientific Reports and Nature journals, with 3D models publicly available through the project's website. The technological analysis confirms the device's function as an ancient analog computer - but raises the question: how did ancient craftsmen achieve such precision without modern tools?