The Zero: From Indian Astronomy to Quantum Physics

The concept of zero, representing emptiness and non-dualistic interdependence, has finally been embraced by Western thought, though only since the Late Middle Ages. This intellectual resistance was overcome through a long transcultural journey from Indian astronomy to Arab algebra, culminating in its formalization in the 20th century. Today, emptiness and interdependence have been rediscovered by scientific thought as an epistemological necessity. Carlo Rovelli, in his book 'Helgoland' (Adelphi, 2020), states: 'The discovery of quantum theory is the discovery that the properties of everything are nothing but the way this thing influences others. They exist only in interaction with other things.' The existence of something rather than nothing is the theme explored in this article by Luca Barbieri and Anita Romanello, published on doppiozero.com on August 8, 2026.