Much ado about nothing: ancient Indian text contains earliest zero symbol

Exclusive: one of the greatest conceptual breakthroughs in mathematics has been traced to the Bakhshali manuscript, dating from the 3rd or 4th centuryNowt, nada, zilch: there is nothing new about nothingness. But the moment that the absence of stuff became zero, a number in its own right, is regarded as one of the greatest breakthroughs in the history of mathematics.Now scientists have traced the origins of this conceptual leap to an ancient Indian text, known as the Bakhshali manuscript – a text which has been housed in the UK since 1902.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Mathematics Science Marcus du Sautoy India Pakistan South and Central Asia World news Source Type: news