Ancient technology

Machines and inventions that were far ahead of their time.

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The remains of an ancient wooden ship lying on a blue seabed

No. 003 · Ancient technology

The Antikythera Mechanism: The Ancient Computer Found by Sponge Divers

In 1900, a storm drove Greek sponge divers to a tiny island, where they found a Roman-era shipwreck. Among the statues was a corroded lump of bronze that turned out to be a geared machine for predicting the sky, built more than 2,000 years ago.

5 min read

A slender dark iron column standing in front of a huge carved stone arch, with a few men in hats beside it

No. 017 · Ancient technology

The Iron Pillar of Delhi: The 1,600-Year-Old Column That Barely Rusts

In a courtyard beside the Qutb Minar stands an iron column made around AD 400 that has stood in the open for centuries with little rust. The explanation turned out to be chemistry, not magic.

5 min read