Physicists from Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata in Argentina have created a computer simulation of the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient astronomical device. The researchers found that manufacturing inaccuracies could have caused frequent jams, making it unusable if it had not undergone corrosion.
The mechanism was discovered off the coast of Greece in 1901 and has been debated about its purpose since then. Its intricate gears and pointing indicators suggest tracking time, astronomical events, and predicting celestial phenomena by turning a hand crank. However, only one device has been found, making it difficult to recreate and verify its operation.
To better understand the device’s purpose, the researchers recreated it using computer simulations. They drew from recent studies on gear teeth movement and manufacturing inaccuracies. The simulation revealed that inexact spacing between gears would lead to frequent jams if turned. However, they suggest that corrosion may have altered this characteristic, making the device potentially more reliable.
The research team concludes that while their simulation shows a high risk of jamming, it is unlikely that the device was merely a child’s toy given the craftsmanship involved and the time spent on its creation.
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-04-antikythera-mechanism-intricate-gears-simulations.html