When Did We Begin Using Numbers?

Numbers are the invisible foundation of our modern world, but they are not a part of nature—they are an invention. In this video, we trace the 44,000-year journey of how humans invented counting, from scratching bones in caves to the discovery of zero.

When Did We First Start Using Numbers? (The History of Counting) | Simple Things Surprising Histories

This documentary style episode from Simple Things Surprising Histories covers the complete evolution of mathematics. We explore how humanity transitioned from simple physical tally marks to the abstract numbers that built civilizations.

Topics covered in this video:
• The difference between "tallying" and "numbers"
• The Lebombo Bone: The world's oldest mathematical artifact (44,000 years old)
• The Ishango Bone and early human logic
• How Ancient Sumerians used clay tokens to invent abstract math
• The transition from physical objects to written symbols
• Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic numbers and pyramid engineering
• Why we use 60 seconds in a minute (The legacy of Babylonian Math)
• The invention of Zero in Ancient India and why it changed everything

Chapters:
00:00 - INTRO: A World Without Numbers
01:00 - CHAPTER 1: The Bone That Started It All
02:25 - CHAPTER 2: TThe Clay Tokens of Sumer
03:45 - CHAPTER 3: Sixty Seconds and the Pyramids
04:59 - CHAPTER 4: The Hero Called Zero
05:49 - OUTRO: The Infinite Ladder

This video is designed for students, educators, and general audiences who want a clear explanation of the history of mathematics without unnecessary complexity. All explanations are factual, educational, and suitable for learning purposes.

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this video provides a complete and accurate overview.

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