Ep 38 – From India to Europe: A Mathematical Journey

In Episode 38 of Ancient Code, Modern Mind, host Harsh Rain traces the westward transmission of Indian mathematical and astronomical concepts, including those from Aryabhata’s Aryabhatiya, through the Islamic world to Europe. Following Episode 37’s exploration of India’s internal scientific dialogue, this episode highlights the global impact of Indian ideas like the decimal system, zero (śūnya), and sine function (jyā). Around 770 CE, Indian texts, adapted as the Sindhind, reached Baghdad, introducing computational methods. Al-Khwārizmī’s 9th-century works spread the decimal system (via Algoritmi de numero Indorum) and jyā (Arabic jayb, Latin sinus), influencing algebra and trigonometry. Al-Bīrūnī’s 11th-century An Inquiry into India documented Aryabhata’s ideas, including Earth rotation, though he rejected it. In the 13th century, Fibonacci’s Liber Abaci popularized the Indian numeral system in Europe, revolutionizing mathematics. While trigonometry’s full Indian methods were not initially adopted, the sinus concept took root. This episode underscores the interconnectedness of global intellectual history, showcasing Aryabhata’s indirect but profound influence on modern science.

Key Words:
Aryabhata, Aryabhatiya, decimal system, zero, śūnya, sine, jyā, Sindhind, Al-Khwārizmī, algorithm, algebra, jayb, sinus, Al-Bīrūnī, Fibonacci, Liber Abaci, Indian astronomy, Islamic science, European mathematics, global transmission, scientific history.

Disclosures:

• This podcast is produced for educational and entertainment purposes and reflects interpretations of historical texts. Listeners are encouraged to consult primary sources and scholarly works for further study.

• Pronunciations of Sanskrit, Arabic, and other terms are approximations for accessibility and may vary across regional traditions.

• This podcast may utilize artificial intelligence for voice generation and content creation to enhance production quality and accessibility.