Aryabhata and the Rise of Zero

Aryabhata revolutionized mathematics forever but he didn't actually invent zero. That's the common

misconception. He was the first to use zero as a placeholder in the decimal system around

500 CE in India. His genius was treating zero as an actual number with mathematical properties,

not just empty space. Before him, ancient Babylonians and Mayans used zero concepts,

but Aryabhata formalized it. His work in Kusumapura became the foundation for modern mathematics.

He transformed zero from nothing into something that changed calculations worldwide. Without his breakthrough,

our entire number system would look completely different today.