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The fascinating story of the discovery of, and subsequent quest to decode, the ancient Greek 'Antikythera mechanism', the world's first computer

About the Author

Jo Marchant is Opinion Editor at New Scientist magazine. She has a PhD in medical microbiology and has been a science journalist for nine years. She spent three years of that as an editor at the journal Nature, and her articles have also appeared in the Guardian and The Economist. She lives with her boyfriend in Brixton, London.

Reviews

Though it is more than 2,000 years old, the Antikythera Mechanism represents a level that our technology did not match until the 18th century, and must therefore rank as one of the greatest basic mechanical inventions of all time. I hope [this] book will rekindle interest in this artefact, which still remains under-rated
*Arthur C. Clarke*

Sunken treasure. A mysterious artefact. Scrambled inscriptions. Warring academic egos. Technology 1,000 years before its time. [This] tale of a wondrous relic ... sounds like pulp fiction. But it's all true ... Puts ancient Greece in a whole new light
*The Independent*

A fabulous piece of storytelling, thick with plot, intrigue, science, historical colour and metaphysical speculation. The mechanism is fascinating - but the larger question of why its knowledge was lost, and what else with it, is mind-blowing
*Metro*

An informative and thoroughly researched book
*Scotland on Sunday*

A dizzyingly brilliant thing ... the Antikythera mechanism bears a chilling message for our technological age
*Telegraph*

A delightful book
*Metro*

Compelling
*Guardian*

Pacy, yet full of fascinating scientific digressions
*Telegraph*

Fascinating and wide-ranging account of 'the world's first computer' ... marvellous
*Daily Mail*