made by Eytan Barakas
In the cradle of civilization, the Sumerians developed a sexagesimal (base-60) numeral system. While they lacked a true zero, they utilized a slanted double wedge symbol to indicate an empty space in their positional notation. This was not a number to be calculated with, but a grammatical punctuation mark in the language of mathematics—a necessary void to distinguish 60 from 1.
The Babylonians inherited Sumerian mathematics and refined the concept. They employed a specific hieroglyph to signify an empty place in their number columns, preventing catastrophic calculation errors. However, this zero was still merely a placeholder, a functional emptiness rather than a numerical value. It could not stand alone; it only existed to give meaning to other numbers.
In 628 CE, the Indian mathematician Brahmagupta wrote the first comprehensive rules for zero as a number in his work "Brahmasphutasiddhanta." He defined zero as the result of subtracting a number from itself, and established fundamental arithmetic operations: zero added to or subtracted from any number leaves it unchanged, and any number multiplied by zero equals zero. For the first time, zero was not just a placeholder but a true mathematical entity that could be manipulated algebraically.
Around 820 CE, the Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi wrote "On the Calculation with Hindu Numerals," which introduced the Hindu-Arabic numeral system, including zero, to the Islamic world. His name gave us the word "algorithm," and his work on algebra (from "al-jabr") revolutionized mathematics. Al-Khwarizmi's systematic approach to solving equations using zero as a fundamental tool laid the groundwork for modern algebra and computational mathematics.
In 1202 CE, Leonardo Fibonacci published "Liber Abaci" (Book of Calculation), introducing the Hindu-Arabic numeral system, including zero, to Europe. Fibonacci demonstrated the superiority of this system over Roman numerals through practical problems in commerce and mathematics. Despite initial resistance from European scholars who viewed zero with suspicion—some calling it "the devil's number"—Fibonacci's work eventually transformed European mathematics, enabling the development of calculus, modern science, and the digital age.
Etymological evolution across continents.
Dividing by zero is the edge of logic. In standard arithmetic, the expression x ÷ 0 is undefined. It doesn't equal infinity; it simply has no meaning.
Attempting to do so in computing causes a crash. In calculus, it requires limits to approach. It is the singularity where the rules of the universe break down.
In the realm of computing, zero is not nothing—it is a switch turned off, a gate closed, a decision made. It is half of the language that writes our reality.
0 represents 'False' or 'Off'. Without this fundamental state, logic gates cannot exist.
A reference that points to nothing. A billion-dollar mistake, yet essential for memory management.
Why do arrays start at 0? Because it represents an offset from the beginning of memory.
A security model where no user or device is trusted by default. Trust is zero until verified.
At 0°C, we reach Absolute Zero. It is the theoretical limit where all thermal motion of atoms ceases.
In this state, matter exhibits strange quantum properties. Superconductivity and superfluidity emerge. It is the baseline of the universe's energy, yet it remains practically impossible to reach—only asymptotically approachable.
In Japanese culture, Ma (間) is not just empty space; it is an active interval. It is the silence between notes that makes the music. It is the white space on the page that gives words their weight.
Zero is not merely the absence of quantity, but the presence of potential. Just as a cup is useful because of its emptiness, zero allows mathematics to hold meaning.
"We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want." — TAO TE CHING
At time t = 0, the universe was infinitely dense and infinitely hot. Space and time as we know them did not exist.
Before this moment, there was arguably true nothingness. Not empty space, but the absence of space itself. The universe expanded from a point of zero volume.
The universe began with a singularity, and it will likely end in maximum entropy. A state where all energy is evenly distributed, temperature gradients vanish, and no work can be done.
Gas clouds are exhausted. No new stars are born. The universe grows dimmer.
Only black holes remain, slowly evaporating via Hawking radiation over eons.
Photons cool to absolute zero. The universe returns to a timeless void.
The foundation of all modern computing. 0 and 1 represent the off and on states of transistors, building the digital world.
Essential for the concept of limits. As quantities approach zero, we unlock the ability to calculate instantaneous rates of change.
Absolute zero (0 Kelvin) is the theoretical temperature where all particle motion ceases. Ground state energy of the vacuum.
The origin point (0,0,0) defines our position in space. Without a center, navigation and geometry lose their anchor.
"In the history of culture the discovery of zero will always stand out as one of the greatest single achievements of the human race." — TOBIAS DANTZIG, NUMBER: THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE