Finding Zero | Amir Aczel | Talks at Google

Mathematician Amir D. Aczel visited Google's Cambridge, MA office to discuss his book, "Finding Zero: A Mathematician's Odyssey to Uncover the Origins of Numbers".

The invention of numerals is perhaps the greatest abstraction the human mind has ever created. The story of how and where we got these numerals has for thousands of years been shrouded in mystery. "Finding Zero" is the saga of Dr. Aczel’s lifelong obsession: to find the original sources of our numerals. His journey takes him to India, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and ultimately into the wilds of Cambodia.

Amir. Aczel has degrees from Berkeley and the University of Oregon. He’s the author of over twenty general and textbooks, including "Fermat's Last Theorem". He’s been a Guggenheim Fellow and a Visiting Scholar in the History of Science at Harvard. Since 2003, he has been a research fellow at the Boston University Center for Philosophy and History of Science, and as of 2011 has been teaching mathematics courses at UMass Boston.

[orwell_fan]

This old man rest in peace for starters, his book I was reading for a homework that was not even mine, but heck, was awesome, amazing story, this man was so damn dedicated to his work, focused on what he wanted. He made one of the best researches ive ever seen.

[Yohan]

I visited the National Museum of Cambodia in 2018, and I confirm that the stèle was in the museum. At that time, I was not aware of this video. Thank you doctor for your contribution.

[nishesh]

The researcher who using wikipedia as his references, Now we can understand what kind of researcher he is

[rhqstudio]

by far the best history of zero I can find on you tube!! such a fascinating story!!!

[uymakara]

Make sense because Khmer Empire was the strongest there’s many iconic impossible temples were built proved there are many Wise people in Old Khmer. Proud to be Cambodian

[RajendraSingh-ybkd]

Well, first of all R.I.P Dr. Aczel. He was a true researcher! His work was outstanding and wonderful towards finding the history of 'Shoonya' in the sense that he acknowledged the roots at least; none dared it in their work in the past. He did point rightly towards the Bakhshali manuscript and that the radiocarbon dating it would reveal something major. I wish if he was with us here in 2017 to see the carbon dating results from Oxford's Bodleian Libraries!


The backward journey continues...we don't know yet from which part of the world we might find a new recorded evidence/s in the future with technological advances to further establish the orgin of Zero; as of now it's the Bakhshali manuscript!

Does he know that ancient india also expanded till indonesia. Including Thailand.

[TheFactbase]

the numerals and zero were inevitable discovered in india...without which the incredible mathematical and astronomical precision of ancient india would not be possible....

[You_walker]

Thank you so much as Cambodian I'm very proud of this!

[hotmale]

SO, had there been no inscription of zero in India, he would've concluded that India has got nothing to do with the invention of zero. He should've known that India is an oral tradition mostly. Aryabhat (5th century CE) explicitly uses the zero as a place holder and Brahmgupta (aprx 2 centuries later) touches upon the zero as emptiness. And it is widely accepted, at least in India, that zero's concept existed much before Aryabhat.

[happysoul]

The speaker spent so much time and effort focusing on
(1) the "erotism" of Khajuraho
(2) how an Indian "just goes on and on" about Indian ancient knowledge
(3) That "Jew" guy from blah blah place

Where he doesn't spend time is - how exactly did he get to know about this "artifact" that "no longer exists".

I believe this guy is a fraud. He sounds religiously biased.

I advise him to learn more about Indian texts. For the very strong reasons.

(1) The theorm attributed to Pythagorus was indeed mentioned clearly by an Indian Hindu mathematician around 600 a.d.
(2) By 600 a.d. Indian mathematicians had computed the value of Pi more precisely than anywhere else in the world.

And he doesn't have to bluff about this invitation. I ask him to learn Sanskrit from a true scholar and study Indian mathematical texts.

[devenderreddysudini]

The inscription shown was looking like insciptions which were on our Thirupathi temple walls and look like prakrutam

[ssb]

Professor Marcus du Sautoy British mathematician, Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford says Zero as a numerical value to signify 'nothing' was by the Indian mathematician in 3rd or 4th century. The evidence was Radiocarbon dating of Bakhshālī Manuscript done by Bodleian Library Oxford, UK. This is on YouTube channel Science Museum & title of video is ' When zero was first discovered'. Enjoy the 5 minutes video

[SurajSingh-hwiy]

Aryabhatta invented zero. He was Indian .

[SharonLowen]

I appreciate his research in sculptural representations but I can't understand why his didn't do any research in the early science historical math discoveries of India that used zero earlier than represented in sculpture that he kind of stumbled upon. Gwalior is recent history in India and certainly late in its use of zero.

[ElusiveCube]

I have read all his books, wow had no idea that he is no longer with us, what a man. R.I.P.

[alphaomega]

It's the law of nature that gave such greatest gift to all mankind.

[DustinRodriguez_]

Very good talk.  I found it a bit surprising that he seemed so perplexed at the acts of destruction different groups have perpetrated against art.  He censored erotic statuary right at the beginning of his talk.  Is it hard to make the stretch that if you are so offended by simple depiction of a fundamentally human activity that you intentionally omit it when trying to show people that culture that a less civilized group would take the further step of destroying the art?  They both had the same basic motives - prevent people from seeing or appreciating the art.

[engtechno]

This guy found the first zero with its own space holder like our modern zero written in stone. It doesn't matter that zero with its own placeholder was invent by Khmer Empire or not but in record, it is one of the oldest written discovered so far. If someone find the older written, one would bring them up rather than attacking his credibility that had nothing to do with his finding.

[gf]

Did he conclude that Cambodia was the source of zero and the year was approx 700ad?? And also his conclusion of place value system I think is not fully true. I respect his efforts but sadly the conclusions are very shallow.
I think his personal interests are affecting his logic.
many of his answers contain I don’t knows, then he says Veda means number 4🙄🙄
His best reference of Indian history is some Raju, possibly a moron who nobody knows😬