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Ancient Computer

A Greek shipwreck holds the remains of an intricate bronze machine that turns out to be the world's first computer. Airing April 3, 2013 at 9 pm on PBS Aired April 3, 2013 on PBS

Program Description

In 1900, a storm blew a boatload of sponge divers off course and forced them to take shelter by the tiny Mediterranean island of Antikythera. Diving the next day, they discovered a 2,000 year-old Greek shipwreck. Among the ship's cargo they hauled up was an unimpressive green lump of corroded bronze. Rusted remnants of gear wheels could be seen on its surface, suggesting some kind of intricate mechanism. The first X-ray studies confirmed that idea, but how it worked and what it was for puzzled scientists for decades. Recently, hi-tech imaging has revealed the extraordinary truth: this unique clockwork machine was the world's first computer. An array of 30 intricate bronze gear wheels, originally housed in a shoebox-size wooden case, was designed to predict the dates of lunar and solar eclipses, track the Moon's subtle motions through the sky, and calculate the dates of significant events such as the Olympic Games. No device of comparable technological sophistication is known from anywhere in the world for at least another 1,000 years. So who was the genius inventor behind it? And what happened to the advanced astronomical and engineering knowledge of its makers? NOVA follows the ingenious sleuthing that finally decoded the truth behind the amazing ancient Greek computer.

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Broadcast Credits

WRITTEN, PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY: Mike Beckham
PRODUCED FOR NOVA BY: Evan Hadingham
EDITED BY: Simon Ruben
ADDITIONAL EDITING BY: Rob Tinworth
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR IMAGES FIRST: Tony Freeth
FINANCE & BUSINESS AFFAIRS MANAGER: Julia Behar
ANEMON PRODUCTIONS: Rea Apostolides
CO-PRODUCER: Roger Hadland
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Yanis Bitsakis
PRODUCTION MANAGERS: Andreas Economakis
Gloria Morris
NARRATED BY: Jay O. Sanders
ORIGINAL MUSIC
Stephen Daltry
Stefanos Konstantinidis
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Steve Gray
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: Stephen Macmillan
Michael Tsimperopoulos
Stelios Apostolopoulos
SOUND RECORDISTS: Leandros Ntounis
Haralambos Giannakakis Tim Watts
GRAPHICS: Darkside Animation
Tony Freeth
COLORIST: Enge Gray
AUDIO MIX: John Jenkins
ARCHIVAL RESEARCH: Jacqui Edwards

ARCHIVAL MATERIAL

Scientific Investigations: ©Images First
Antikythera footage: courtesy of Nature
The Parthenon: animation by Paul Debevec
USC Institute for Creative Technologies
: Pond5
Antikythera Island: Nicolet Video Productions NVP3D – Hublot, Genève
Diving for Roman Plunder: Jacques Cousteau
BBC Motion Gallery
Nikon Metrology
iStockPhoto
: Northwind Picture Archive
: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
Albert Rehm Archive: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München
courtesy of Dr. Hermann Dannheimer
Photographs of Derek de Solla Price: Photographer: Grace Goldin
Family of Derek de Solla Price
'Gears from the Greeks'
'Greek Horoscopes'
©American Philosophical Society
Phase-contrast X-rays: CSIRO, Australia / XRT Limited
Painting by Frans Hals: ©The National Gallery, London
: Werner Forman Archive / British Museum
: World History Archive / TopFoto
: Getty Images
Lunar eclipse images: University of Athens / Jacob Strikis
Nuremberg Chronicle f. Vv: Morse Library, Beloit College
Painting by G. di Paolo: ©Photo SCALA, Florence
Heritage History
Al-Biruni, Treatise on the Astrolabe: ©British Library

WITH COOPERATION FROM: National Archaeological Museum, Athens
Antikythera Mechanism Research Project
NOVA SERIES GRAPHICS: yU + co.
NOVA THEME MUSIC: Walter Werzowa
John Luker
Musikvergnuegen, Inc.
ADDITIONAL NOVA THEME MUSIC: Ray Loring
Rob Morsberger
POST PRODUCTION ONLINE EDITOR: Spencer Gentry
CLOSED CAPTIONING: The Caption Center
MARKETING AND PUBLICITY: Karen Laverty
PUBLICITY: Eileen Campion
Victoria Louie
SENIOR RESEARCHER: Kate Becker
NOVA ADMINISTRATOR: Kristen Sommerhalter
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Linda Callahan
PARALEGAL: Sarah Erlandson
TALENT RELATIONS: Scott Kardel, Esq.
Janice Flood
LEGAL COUNSEL: Susan Rosen
DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION: Rachel Connolly
DIGITAL PROJECTS MANAGER: Kristine Allington
DIRECTOR OF NEW MEDIA: Lauren Aguirre
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: POST PRODUCTION
Patrick Carey
POST PRODUCTION EDITOR: Rebecca Nieto
POST PRODUCTION MANAGER: Nathan Gunner
COMPLIANCE MANAGER: Linzy Emery
BUSINESS MANAGER: Elizabeth Benjes
DEVELOPMENT PRODUCERS: Pamela Rosenstein
David Condon
COORDINATING PRODUCER: Laurie Cahalane
SENIOR SCIENCE EDITOR: Evan Hadingham
SENIOR PRODUCERS: Julia Cort Chris Schmidt
SENIOR SERIES PRODUCER: Melanie Wallace
MANAGING DIRECTOR: Alan Ritsko
SENIOR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Paula S. Apsell