The document discusses the world's first known mechanical computer, the Antikythera mechanism, which was discovered in 1901 in a shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera. Dating back to the 1st century BC, the mechanism was comprised of a complex system of over 30 bronze gears that could track and display astronomical information like the lunar phases, positions of the sun and moon, a 19-year calendar, and predict eclipses 223 months into the future. This discovery showcases the advanced engineering and astronomical knowledge of the ancient Greeks, with the technology then lost until the 14th century development of mechanical clocks in Europe.

1. THE WORLD'S FIRST
COMPUTER
Amita Vadlamudi

2. Introduction
 Computer Systems Engineer Amita Vadlamudi possesses more than 30 years of
experience working with mainframes and large-scale server systems. Holding a
bachelor’s in computer science, Amita Vadlamudi is qualified in all aspects of IBM
mainframe and Sun/Oracle server support and maintenance. Aside from her interest
in computing, Ms. Vadlamudi enjoys reading about history and ancient civilizations.
The world’s first known mechanical computer dates back to the first century BC and
was discovered in an ancient shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island of
Antikythera in 1901. Known as the Antikythera mechanism, the discovery showcases
the engineering abilities of the ancient Greeks as well as their extensive knowledge
of astronomy.
The device, the size of a shoe box, is comprised of a complex system of no less than
30 bronze gears that drove a mechanism that displayed the date, lunar phases, and
the positions of the sun and moon, as well as a 19-year calendar and a dial that
predicted eclipses 223 months into the future.
A complex clockwork mechanism, the technology was lost in antiquity and does not
appear again until the 14th century in Europe with the development of mechanical
astronomical clocks.