Scientists unlock mysteries of world's oldest 'computer'

A 2,000-year-old device often referred to as the world's oldest "computer" has been recreated by scientists trying to understand how it worked.

The Antikythera Mechanism has baffled experts since it was found on a Roman-era shipwreck in Greece in 1901.

The hand-powered Ancient Greek device is thought to have been used to predict eclipses and other astronomical events.

But only a third of the device survived, leaving researchers pondering how it worked and what it looked like.

The back of the mechanism was solved by earlier studies, but the nature of its complex gearing system at the front has remained a mystery.

Scientists from University College London (UCL) believe they have finally cracked the puzzle using 3D computer modelling. They have recreated the entire front panel, and now hope to build a full-scale replica of the Antikythera using modern materials.