Decoding the Heavens - by Jo Marchant (Paperback)

About the Book

Marchant details the 100-year quest to decode an ancient Greek computer device. This is the surprising story behind the 2,000-year-old mechanism that challenges modern assumptions about what ancient scientists knew, and the technological equipment they used to understand their world.

Book Synopsis

In Decoding the Heavens, Jo Marchant tells for the first time the full story of the hundred-year quest to decipher the ancient Greek computer known as the Antikythera Mechanism. Along the way she unearths a diverse cast of remarkable characters and explores the deep roots of modern technology in ancient Greece and the medieval European and Islamic worlds. At its heart, this is an epic adventure and mystery, a book that challenges our assumptions about technology through the ages.

Review Quotes

PopMatters.com, 4/16/10
"Spirit and fascination fully informs [Marchant's] book"

Tucson Citizen, 4/30/10
"[A] highly readable book...An adventure that blends ample portions of fate, historic intrigue, and modern scientific innovation."

About the Author

Jo Marchant is an award-winning journalist who specializes in writing about cutting-edge science. She has worked as a staff reporter and editor for Nature and New Scientist, where she is currently a consultant. She lives in London.