YouTubers & Scientists Crack Ancient Code! Researchers solve the 2,200-year-old mystery of the Antikythera mechanism with a little help from a passionate YouTuber and innovative statistical methods.
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| Antikythera Mechanism Mystery Deepens! New research suggests the world's oldest computer was even more sophisticated than previously thought |
Researchers believe they've cracked the code on a 2,200-year-old mystery thanks in part to the work of a YouTuber and some unexpected statistical modeling techniques.
The Antikythera mechanism, a complex device considered the world's oldest "computer," was recovered from a shipwreck near Greece in 1900. A key aspect of deciphering its function was determining the number of holes on one of its rings.
Enter Chris Budiselic, a YouTuber fascinated by the mechanism. He began building a replica but needed to know the number of holes. His research on the device's measurements caught the eye of astronomers at the University of Glasgow.
University researcher Graham Woan, intrigued by the problem, decided to tackle it during his Christmas break. He employed statistical modeling techniques typically used for studying gravitational waves to analyze the placement of existing holes.
Woan's colleague, Joseph Bayley, then applied a modified version of these techniques. Both methods pointed to a strong likelihood of there being 354 or 355 holes on the ring.
This finding suggests the Antikythera mechanism followed a lunar calendar, not the previously proposed Egyptian calendar. The number of holes aligns with the cycles of the moon, further demonstrating the device's sophistication.
The research highlights the remarkable ingenuity of the ancient Greeks who created this device and the power of collaboration – a YouTuber's passion for the mechanism combined with a researcher's innovative approach led to a breakthrough in understanding this technological marvel.