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
The Decimal System – The Magic of Place Value
The Concept We can write any number, no matter how large, using only ten symbols (0-9) in the ‘Base-10’ format. [...]
Fibonacci Numbers – The Mountain of Cadence
The Concept The Fibonacci sequence (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8...) is a series of numbers in which each [...]
PART II: THE ROOTS OF ASTRONOMY AND COSMOLOGY
Comet (Ketuchara) – Classifying the Cosmic Visitors
The Concept People used to believe that comets were unpredictable foreshadowings of dreadful things to come. They are icy creatures [...]
The 27 Nakshatras, or Lunar Mansions – Mapping the Heavens
The Concept The zodiac consists of a 360-degree circle rather than merely twelve signs. To acquire an accurate reading of [...]
The Polar Star (Dhruva) – The Immovable Compass
The Concept The Pole Star is a stationary point in the night sky, while all other stars appear to move [...]
Precession of Equinoxes (Ayanamsa) – The Wobble of the Earth
The Concept The Earth wobbles on its axis, similar to a spinning top. As a result, location of stars vary [...]
Relativity & Time Dilation – A Journey Through Bent Time
The Concept Time is not constant. It travels differently based on your position and speed. In some parts of the [...]
Orbital Velocity and The ‘Wind’ of Time – Balancing the Solar System
The Concept What causes planets farther out to travel more slowly? The Surya Siddhanta states that all planets move at [...]
PART III: THE ROOTS OF PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY
Fluid Mechanics (Flow of Water) – Engineering the First Smart Cities
The Concept Fluids travel from high to low levels. The slope and width of the channel influence how quickly the [...]
Musical Frequency (Shruti) – The Mathematics of Melody
The Concept Music is math. Certain frequencies sound wonderful together (harmony). An octave occurs when the frequency increases by a [...]
Optics and Mirrors (Darpan) – Focusing the Solar Fire
The Concept Smooth surfaces reflect light. Bending the surface (concave or convex) allows you to focus light or expand your [...]
Elasticity (Sthitisthapaka) – The Science of the Bending Bow
The Concept Elasticity is a substance's capacity to return to its original shape after being stretched or compressed. Think of [...]
The Wave Nature of Sound (Shabda) – The Logic of the Ripple
The Concept Sound travels through a medium (such as air or water) as a wave. It is not a physical [...]
Laws of Motion (Gati) – The Mechanics of the Flying Arrow
The Concept Things follow certain rules about speed, force, and direction. This includes the concept of inertia, which states that [...]
PART IV: THE ROOTS OF LIFE SCIENCES AND MEDICINE
PART V: THE ROOTS OF ENGINEERING AND CIVILISATION
Stepwells (Passive Cooling) – The Subterranean Air Conditioners
The Concept Water evaporates in hot climates. To save it, you must go deep underground. Stepwells (Baolis) are inverted pyramids [...]
Urban Planning (The Grid System) – The Smart Cities of Harappa
The Concept A city should not be a maze. A planned city uses a ‘Grid Iron’ system where streets cut [...]
