That's Nice, Grandma

S2 Ep15: CCXV


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This week, we explore the idea of counting. Ancient numerical systems, in base ten and otherwise, are considered. Rhiannon discusses the concept of zero and the ways that humanity has struggled with the idea of infinity. Moral of the story: the Greeks were weird.

This podcast is produced and edited by me, Rhiannon. Music written and performed by our resident noisemaker, Tay Clarke. Find the show online at www.thatsnicepod.com, or follow our Instagram, @thatsnicepod.

SOURCE MATERIAL
***Recommendation of the Week***
***Sources***
  • https://www.cairn.info/revue-de-philologie-litterature-et-histoire-anciennes-2009-1-page-103.htm
  • https://theconversation.com/nothing-matters-how-the-invention-of-zero-helped-create-modern-mathematics-84232
  • https://courses.lumenlearning.com/math4liberalarts/chapter/early-counting-systems/
  • https://www.deseret.com/2012/8/5/20505112/a-brief-history-of-numbers-and-counting-part-1-mathematics-advanced-with-civilization
  • https://earlymath.erikson.edu/beyond-base-10-3-unusual-counting-systems/
  • https://www.gutenberg.org/files/22599/22599-h/22599-h.htm
  • https://www.hcusd2.org/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/53bd4762d3b99/4.1%20-%20Additive,%20Multiplicative,%20and%20Ciphered%20Systems%20of%20Numeration%20-%20filled%20in.pdfl
  • https://math.dartmouth.edu/~matc/Readers/HowManyAngels/InfinityMind/IM.html
  • https://www.math.tamu.edu/~dallen/masters/infinity/infinity.pdf
  • https://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.uk/HistTopics/Chinese_numerals/
  • https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/roots-of-unity/ancient-babylonian-number-system-had-no-zero/
  • https://www.storyofmathematics.com/mayan.htm
  • https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/7/5/17500782/zero-number-math-explained
  • http://web.pdx.edu/~caughman/AmyDraft501.pdf


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