Book Review

People today do not think much about zero, we see it as just another number no different than the rest, but zero hides limitless power behind its innocent appearance. Throughout history zero has shaped the world and minds of mankind. Zero is the basis of mathematics and logic, yet it holds the power to render them useless. Zero has always been at the center of philosophical debate and has been used to both prove and disprove the existence of God. It is zero that consistently unlocks the secrets of the universe, and it can even be used to foresee the universe’s end.

This masterful history by Charles Seife can be found in the mathematics section of most major bookstores, but it is far from your ordinary textbook. This life-story of the most controversial concept to ever touch the mind’s of man starts with the beginnings of zero as a simple place-holder in Babylonia and follows it through all the most profound ways in which it has helped shape modern thought and science. Anyone who is in anyway involved or interested in the function of numbers, mathematics or any type of science should read this book. It may not change you as much as zero has changed the world, but it will certainly change your perspective of the innocent number behind the power of infinite nothingness.