By: Nelson Zhang

The Antikythera mechanism, probably the oldest computer ever known from 2,200 years ago, has inspired people ever since the Antikythera wreck on Greek Island. The ship was destined for the Greek main island in 1901. Many researchers over time have revealed many secrets about the Antikythera mechanism and saying that it is the world’s first analog computer. Yet even after such a while of searching for more information, there is still yet a ton more to be learned about this mechanism.

Published this July, there was a study in the Horological Journal wherescientists hypothesize how this time-piece functions . Graham Woan, a professor of Astrophysics at the University of Glasgow, and Joseph Bayley, a research associate there, said there is a feature called a mechanism calendar ring that once had 354 holes connected to the 354 days on the lunar calendar. If this mechanism doesn’t relate to the lunar calendar, it would prove false the current models of this mechanism and facts about it.

Instead of using modern tools to gain information about this mechanism, they used methods of gravitational wave astronomy. Gravitational waves are “ripples’’ in space-time caused by a violent energetic process in the universe or a field that tunes into subtle ripples in space-time that result from cosmic disruptions.

Many people agree that this research will continue to be successful. But some Antikythera scholars and researchers remain skeptical and suspicious of the new study for this mechanism.

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