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.

Learn to use the 13th-century astrolabe

Modern technology gives instant answers, but often at the cost of deeper understanding. The 13th-century astrolabe, once a prized possession and universal tool, offered not just the time but a direct connection to the cosmos. A child in the Middle Ages learned to map the sky and predict celestial events with it, gaining hands-on knowledge that today’s precision devices replace with abstraction. Progress gives us accuracy, yet can make us forget the richer context of our world.

Ancient Tools Unlock Wisdom Lost In Modern Technology

We ask 5 people creating the future: so, what will it be like?

astronomy