Physics Professor Karl Sandeman invited Alexander Jones, NYU Professor of the History of the Exact Sciences in Antiquity, and Director of the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World (ISAW), for an online lecture on the history and discovery of the Antikythera mechanism for the Physics Department Colloquium series on March 9. The lecture introduced the topic of the Antikythera mechanism, the oldest analogue computer device that was lost in a shipwreck and laid at the bottom of the ocean for over 2,000 years and was later discovered by a team of sponge divers near the island of Antikythera, Greece in 1901. The device was used by the ancient Greeks to calculate and track the motions of the Sun, Moon, Earth, and other astronomical features. Professor Jones discussed the importance of the world’s first ancient computer along with the application of advanced materials and characterization techniques used to probe its inner workings. He demonstrated how the mechanism works, which is the earliest known geared machine of its type and explained its significance to the history of technology. The discussion was based on Professor Jones’ book A Portable Cosmos: Revealing the Antikythera Mechanism, Scientific Wonder of the Ancient World, which he wrote in 2017. The colloquium, a virtual and in-person academic conference, explores the relationship between physics and other disciplines which will continue through the Spring 2023 semester. The seminar is available on the Physics Department YouTube channel.
