Did you know that the concept of zero, a fundamental building block of modern mathematics, was unknown to Europeans until the 12th century? As a relatively recent entrant in the pantheon of numerical knowledge, zero presented an existential challenge to the human mind - how to deal with the notion of 'nothingness'.
Surprisingly, the earliest concepts of zero can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as the Babylonians and the Mayans. The Babylonians employed a primitive version of zero as a placeholder, enabling them to distinguish between different magnitudes - an idea mirrored in our modern decimal-based systems. The Mayans, on the other hand, started each month (of 20 days) with a zero-day to give a rest to the God that was “carrying the number”. However, it was not until the 7th century in India that zero was formally conceptualized as 'null' or 'sunya'.
From India, it spread first to the Islam World and eventually got to Europe. As a symbol and concept, Zero made groundbreaking contributions, enabling significant innovations such as the development of algebra and calculus. Fast forward to our contemporary world, zero sits at the core of our digital age. It forms the basis of binary code, the language of computers, thus underpinning virtually every aspect of our technology-driven lives.
The journey of zero, from a philosophical concept to an indispensable tool, reminds us of the remarkable power of human intellect. It serves as a testament to how ideas we now take for granted were born of centuries of exploration, exchange, and refinement, forever pushing the boundaries of our understanding.
Craving more? Check out the source behind this Brain Snack!
