Name: Learn to use the 13th-century astrolabe
Uploaded: 2009-11-20T08:29:00Z
Duration: 9 min 8 s
Description: Rather than demo another new technology, Tom Wujec reaches back to one of our earliest but most ingenious devices -- the astrolabe. With thousands of uses, from telling time to mapping the night sky, this old tech reminds us that the ancient can be as brilliant as the brand-new.

Rather than demo another new technology, Tom Wujec reaches back to one of our earliest but most ingenious devices -- the astrolabe. With thousands of uses, from telling time to mapping the night sky, this old tech reminds us that the ancient can be as brilliant as the brand-new.

Tom Wujec: Learn to use the 13th-century astrolabe

Learn to use the 13th-century astrolabe

An astrolabe, the 13th-century's premier gadget, not only told time but connected users to the cosmos, embodying the era's ingenuity.

Astrolabes remind us of a lost intimacy with the night sky, a nuanced comprehension overshadowed by today's digital precision.

Astrolabes, merging art with science, allowed ancient users to navigate the cosmos, tracking celestial bodies to tell time and navigate.