Google Doodle Celebrates Discovery Of the Mysterious Antikythera

Is this the most intriguing Google Doodle yet?

Today’s Google Doodle will be hard to resist. (Photo Courtesy: Wikipedia)

Today’s Google Doodle will tickle your curiosity. At first glance, the doodle appears to be that of an ancient granite wheel of sorts. But once you click on it,

However, once you click on it, the blurb (from Wikipedia) that pops up may leave you scratching your head:

The Antikythera mechanism is an ancient analogue computer and orrery used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses for calendrical and astrological purposes, as well as a four-year cycle of athletic games that was similar to, but not identical...

(Photo: Google) 

Let us break it down for you. The Antikythera mechanism was discovered 115 years ago inside a Roman shipwreck off the coast of Antikythera, Greece. Sponge-divers chanced upon wheel among priceless jewels, pots and statues.

Antikythera was transferred to the National Museum of Archaeology, and relegated to the sidelines. Two years later, archaeologist Valerios Stais found a gear wheel in the mechanism, and in-depth investigation by physicists and historians revealed its true meaning.

The 2000-year-old Antikythera was an analogue computer which could calculate the position of the Sun and the Moon, eclipses and calendar cycles, and much more.

Who would have thought that a mechanism this old would involve technology so ahead of its time?