Antikythera Mechanism: An ancient 'computer' that 'shouldn't exist' [video]

Re:Antikythera Mechanism: An ancient 'computer' that 'should... by crispyambulance on Friday December 10, 2021 @01:02PM (#29513212)

> Are you suggesting if the dinosaurs had tried harder to "evolve in time", they could have better survived an asteroid hit?

Well, yes. It's not fair to the dinosaurs, I admit. They hardly had a chance to develop language and mathematics. They were still too busy ripping each other's faces off. And not having opposable thumbs, of course, really put a damper on technological development. Maybe in a another million years things would have been different, but the asteroid had a different idea.

We, on the other hand, are at least on the precipice of the capability to divert asteroids. Hopefully we don't get an asteroid visit too soon.

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Re:Antikythera Mechanism: An ancient 'computer' that 'should... by jrochkind1 on Friday December 10, 2021 @03:00PM (#29514772)

I think it's a misconception that we can somehow speed up or direct "evolution", no matter what language and mathematics we have.

Diverting an asteroid, however, is not evolution.

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Re:Antikythera Mechanism: An ancient 'computer' that 'should... by Tossrock on Friday December 10, 2021 @05:36PM (#29516300)

Of course you can speed up and direct evolution, it's called artificial selection and it's how we got dogs, cattle, and almost all crops.

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