9- The Antikythera Mechanism
Photo credit: en.wikipedia.org
Rescued from its watery resting place near the island of Antikythera in 1901, this curious artifact, dates back to the second century BCE, has been called an “ancient computer.” Its complicated system of gears and levers wouldn’t be rivaled in terms of complexity for at least another 1,000 years. In 2006 researchers in the U.K. used X-rays to help solve the mystery of the device’s purpose. Their work suggested that the Antikythera mechanism was used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses for calendrical and astrological purposes, as well as the Olympiads, the cycles of the ancient Olympic Games.