This is Sleepy History.

Sleepy History is a production of Slumber Studios.

To listen ad free, get access to bonus episodes, and support the ongoing production of this show. Check out our premium feed.

This is the sleepy history of mathematics, narrated by Simon Mattox, written by Alexandra Turney.

At least once in your life, you've probably tried counting sheep to fall asleep.

One, two, three, and then at some point hopefully you drift off.

Counting is one of the first things we learn as children.

It's the most basic element of that tricky subject, mathematics.

Tonight, we'll explore the very beginnings of mathematics, and discover how it developed over the centuries.

And among many other things, we'll learn how the work of an Indian mathematician could help to unravel the secrets of the universe. So, just relax and let your mind drift as we explore the sleepy history of mathematics. When you think of the origins, when you think of the origins of mathematics,

you probably picture numbers on an ancient manuscript, or papyrus, perhaps.

But in fact, the earliest evidence we have may be a bone, a tool known as the Ishingo bone.

This mammal bone is about 10 centimetres long.

It was found near a lake in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it's believed to be at

least 20,000 years old.

The bone is covered in engravings, 168 lines, which seem to be ordered in particular groups and patterns.

There are different theories about these engravings and exactly what they mean.

Some have suggested that the bone may have been used as a calendar.

Others think the lines are tally marks.

But, according to some experts, the bone could be considered the world's first mathematical tool.

The people who used it more than 20,000 years ago may have had some knowledge of prime numbers.

Perhaps the carvings on the bone were used to perform simple calculations.

...