Across history, ancient civilizations crafted prototypes for many of the modern mechanisms that have become integral to contemporary life. From the compass's early forms that transformed navigation to the predecessors of today's vending machines, these ancient artifacts offer insights...
A 17th-century brass astrolabe sold for more than 2 million pounds ($2.75 million) at a Sotheby's auction in London, setting a world record for any astronomical instrument from the Islamic world.
The sale surpassed the previous record held by an...
