A history of nothing: how zero went from nil to something
From ancient trade to modern theoretical physics and computer programming, the history of mathematics closely mirrors the history of zero – first as a concept, and then ultimately as a number. Narrated by the UK mathematician Hannah Fry, this short animation explores how the evolution of the understanding of zero has helped shape our minds and our world.
Producer: Ed Prosser
Video by The Royal Institution
Animation: Andrew Khosravani
Narrator: Hannah Fry
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