657
The invention of zero
(thelemmy.club)
This is why you shouldn't learn math
It only ends in heartbreak
I guess it's the different cultures that invented the number zero?
Except Babylon didn't?
The Maya invented zero
Technically Babylon and Egypt first had what could be described as a concept of zero, while India invented the modern mathematical zero.
They first had a blank space, not mathematical zero
The Babylonians did not have a concept of zero. They had a symbol for a zero in their base 60 numeral system, but didn't use it as a standalone number or concept.
Fun fact: He didn't invent zero. He simply was willing to part with the idea that the number zero was unholy. People back in the day associated zero with hell.
Who's the guy with the long beard?
Confucius
Say what?
Don't worry buddy, atleast one person got the joke
In the bottom right. If they meant the stone guy:
The relief was originally found in the palace of King Sargon II at Dur-Sharrukin (modern-day Khorsabad, Iraq).
I don't think there's a specific Arab scholar credited with coming up with the concept of zero.
Wasn't it Aryabhatta who came up with the concept of zero?
https://bookshop.org/p/books/zero-the-biography-of-a-dangerous-idea-charles-seife/9b102f8407965163
Zero -The Biography of a Dangerous Idea.
Great book.
They're saying he has more than 9 girlfriends? I mean, yes, inventing the concept of place value, and the necesary zero, is impressive, but I don't think he'll be attracting that many ladies at once!
Nerdy thoughts about what that concept unlocks for us all:
this post was submitted on 24 May 2026
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