holy shit

[billy rubin]

if this is true i am impressed beyond words.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84310-w

https://i.imgur.com/JYyQD7T.mp4


if ou open this thread th eaudio will start automatically. can't make it go  away unless you mute.

if this reconstruction of th epartially-surviving relic mechanism is correct, then a bronze-age culture with no machine tooling managed to create a precision instrument built entirely on th marthematics.

the comversations between the artisan and th edesignr would have been pricelss.

just mut eit an watch.

The Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient Greek astronomical calculator, has challenged researchers since its discovery in 1901. Now split into 82 fragments, only a third of the original survives, including 30 corroded bronze gearwheels. Microfocus X-ray Computed Tomography (X-ray CT) in 2005 decoded the structure of the rear of the machine but the front remained largely unresolved. X-ray CT also revealed inscriptions describing the motions of the Sun, Moon and all five planets known in antiquity and how they were displayed at the front as an ancient Greek Cosmos. Inscriptions specifying complex planetary periods forced new thinking on the mechanization of this Cosmos, but no previous reconstruction has come close to matching the data. Our discoveries lead to a new model, satisfying and explaining the evidence. Solving this complex 3D puzzle reveals a creation of genius—combining cycles from Babylonian astronomy, mathematics from Plato's Academy and ancient Greek astronomical theories.

[Dark Lightning]

That's very cool. Maybe someone tech-savvy here can cut the sound level.

[Randy]

I find it truly amazing. It was a fascinating read.

[Recusant]

That's very cool. Maybe someone tech-savvy here can cut the sound level.

To mute the obnoxious noise, right-click the video, and the context menu should include something like "Show Controls". Tick that, and you now have regular video controls, which will allow you to mute.

It's supposed to be muted by default. This is a relatively recent addition to the Imgur line--MP4 video loops. It's also supposed to have the controls displayed by default, I believe. In Chrome, it seems to run on autoplay, while in Firefox it displays as paused, at least for me. 

[Dark Lightning]

Thanks, Recusant! I'm using Chrome. I had some trouble with the fox awhile back and gave up on it.

[Icarus]

Another holy shit event will soon be upon us.  Not as mysterious or interesting as the ancient mechanical device. This HS event will have negative effects on some agricultural interests. 
https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/get-ready-brood-x-every-17-years-cicada-swarm-coming-rcna429?utm_source=pocket-newtab             

[Dark Lightning]

Oh, I'm so glad I'm not in Florida now. I was there in '04 when the last hatching or whatever it is called was going on. One can't even hear oneself think, for the racket.

[billy rubin]

one of the 17s came out here in ohio about four years ago. very impressive. i'd never seen them in those numbers

[Icarus]

An odd coincidence is that when the cicadas come, the birds are no where to be seen.  Cornell Ornithology division has failed to explain this odd phenomena.  Maybe this does not occur everywhere but it has been a puzzle here in my back yard.  My friendly and gluttonous birds normally visit my bird feeder often.  Not when the cicadas have been in the area.

[billy rubin]

all birds? even seed eaters?

th etheory behind mass emergence is that they satiate the predators and there's a greater proportional survival. perhaps the larger insectivorous birds are all sleeping off their gluttony?

[Bluenose]

Probably as a result of my childhood experience but to me the essence of xmas day is 40°C (104°F) plus temperature and cicadas singing en masse to the point you cannot hear yourself think.  Love it!

[billy rubin]

Crispy wok tossed cicadas

Source: AndrewZimmern.com

Ingredients:

2 cups cicadas
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 hot dried Asian chile
4 tablespoons minced lemongrass
1 cup chopped scallions
1 clove minced garlic
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons Toban Djan (fermented bean paste with chiles)
1 cup minced celery
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon corn starch
3 tablespoons rice wine (or sake)

1. Collect roughly 2 cups of cicadas, keep them in a bucket (with a lid) with an inch of water inside. Wet wings means they won't fly off! Dry on a towel, pluck wings and legs, and set aside.

2. Preheat a large wok over high heat. Add the peanut oil, and swirl.

3. Add the minced ginger, hot dried Asian chile (tsin-tsin work great), minced lemongrass, chopped scallions, minced garlic, sugar, Toban Djan (fermented bean paste with chiles, Lee Kum Kee brand is fine) and toss for 15 seconds. Add the cicadas. If you can't find fermented bean paste, use a few tablepoons of Chinese dried salted black beans instead.

4. Toss for one minute to cook. Add the minced celery, toss. Mix the soy sauce, corn starch and rice wine together in a separate bowl, then add the mixture to the wok. Toss, cooking for another minute or so until sauce tightens.

[Dark Lightning]

Someone turn off that fucking music! 

[Icarus]

Billy is hereby disqualified as my chef of choice.