Jo Marchant
The bronze fragments of an ancient Greek device puzzled scholars for more than a century after they were recovered from the Mediterranean Sea, where they had lain since about 80 BC. Using advanced imaging technology, scientists have now solved the mystery of its intricate workings. Unmatched in complexity for a thousand years, the mechanism functioned as the world's first analog computer, calculating the movements of the sun, moon, and planets through the zodiac. Jo Marchant tells the hundred-year quest to decode this ancient computer, unearthing a diverse cast of remarkable characters — from Archimedes to Jacques Cousteau — and exploring the deep roots of modern technology in ancient Greece, the Islamic world, and medieval Europe.
Da Capo Press