Astronomical calculator kept track of ancient Olympics, study finds
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 17:49
in Astronomy & Space
The inclusion of the Olympic data on the 2,100-year-old Antikythera mechanism underscores that for its scientific sophistication, the device also had a practical use, researchers say. A 2,100-year-old bronze-and-iron astronomical computer that predicted eclipses and other astronomical events also showed the cycle of the Greek Olympics and the related games that led up to it, researchers reported today.