Zero to Gravity: The Ancient Indian Roots of Modern Science.
Explore the 108 foundational concepts across mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and engineering..
PART 1: THE ROOTS OF MATHEMATICS
Zero (Shunya) – The Number That Changed the World
The Concept Zero is not simply a placeholder, like an empty seat in a row; it is a number with [...]
The Sine Function of Trigonometry – The Lost-in-Translation Star Map
The Concept Trigonometry is the study of the relationships between triangle sides and angles. We can use the ‘Sine’ function [...]
Calculus: Infinite Series – Tracking the Instantaneous Moon
The Concept Calculus is the branch of mathematics that studies how objects change over time. The ‘Infinite Series’ is an [...]
The Pythagorean Theorem – The Blueprint of the Fire Altar
The Concept In a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the other [...]
The Value of Pi – Unlocking the Infinite Circle
The Concept Pi is the number that represents how many times a circle's diameter fits into its circumference. It is [...]
Binary Numbers – The First Machine Language
The Concept Binary has only two states: zero (off) and one (on). This is the ‘Machine Language’ that all computers, [...]
PART II: THE ROOTS OF ASTRONOMY AND COSMOLOGY
Retrograde Motion (Vakra Gati) – The Optical Illusion of the Wanderers
The Concept Planets sometimes appear to be moving backwards in the sky. This is an optical illusion created when Earth [...]
Moon and Tides (Samudra Manthan) – The Gravitational Pulse of the Ocean
The Concept The Moon's gravity pulls on Earth's oceans, causing tides to rise and fall. The Story For centuries, Western [...]
The Milky Way (Akash Ganga) – The River of a Thousand Suns
The Concept The Milky Way is our galaxy. It is a massive collection of billions of stars that appears as [...]
The Earth’s Tilt (Obliquity) – The 24-Degree Angle of the Seasons
The Concept According to the Surya Siddhanta, the equator forms a 24-degree angle with the Sun's path (ecliptic). The seasons [...]
Atmosphere and Clouds – The Science of Cloud Pregnancy
The Concept There are layers in the atmosphere, and clouds are made up of heat and water vapour. It is [...]
The First Prime Meridian (Madhyarekha) – The Greenwich of the East
The Concept The world had a zero meridian long before Greenwich. The Surya Siddhanta created the Madhyarekha, a line that [...]
PART III: THE ROOTS OF PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY
Heat as Energy (Tejas) – Breaking the Atomic Bonds
The Concept Old European science considered heat to be a fluid, but it is actually a form of energy that [...]
Electric Cells (Agastya Samhita) – The Ancient Battery
The Concept When two different metals react with an acidic solution, they generate electricity. The Story In a text attributed [...]
Energy Conservation (Satkaryavada) – The Real Never Ceases to Be
The Concept The First Law of Thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed. The central idea [...]
Magnetism (Chumbak) – The Beloved of Iron
The Concept Some stones, such as lodestones, draw iron towards them. This invisible force is magnetism. The Story Long before [...]
State of Matter (Pancha Bhuta) – The Five Elements of the Universe
The Concept The five states of matter are solid, liquid, gas, plasma, and vacuum/ether. The Story Until recently, Western science [...]
Measurement of Time (Kala) – Slicing the Microsecond
The Concept You may break time down into smaller and smaller bits. Microseconds are necessary to analyse rapid events such [...]
PART IV: THE ROOTS OF LIFE SCIENCES AND MEDICINE
PART V: THE ROOTS OF ENGINEERING AND CIVILISATION
Acoustic Engineering (Musical Pillars) – The Stones That Sing
The Concept Stone columns can be tuned to vibrate at specific musical frequencies by altering their density and volume. The [...]
The Cotton Gin & Spinning Wheel – The Machine That Clothed the World
The Concept Cotton seeds are slow to separate by hand; thus, a machine with two rollers (worm gear) pulls the [...]
Shipbuilding (Navgati) – Navigating the Great Ocean
The Concept A ship must be able to float, remain steady, and move easily across water. The Story Long before [...]
Water Clocks (Ghatika Yantra) – The Sinking Bowl of Time
The Concept A water clock, for example, calculates time based on the amount of water that flows into or out [...]
Earthquake–Resistant Architecture – The Temples That Dance With the Earth
The Concept Rigid constructions collapse when the ground shakes, whereas flexible structures remain standing. By using interlocking joints instead of [...]
Compass (Matsya Yantra) – The Iron Fish of the Ocean
The Concept To navigate the high seas, you must first know where North is. A magnetised needle floating in oil [...]
