SKU: 8638417556

The Nothing That Is: A Natural History of Zero

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The Nothing That Is: A Natural History of ZeroA symbol for what is not there, an emptiness that increases any number it's added to, an inexhaustible and indispensable paradox. As we enter the year 2000, zero is once again making its presence felt. Nothing itself, it makes possible a myriad of calculations. Indeed, without zero mathematics as we know it would not exist. And without mathematics our understanding of the universe would be vastly impoverished. But where did this nothing, this hollow

A symbol for what is not there, an emptiness that increases any number it's added to, an inexhaustible and indispensable paradox. As we enter the year 2000, zero is once again making its presence felt. Nothing itself, it makes possible a myriad of calculations. Indeed, without zero mathematics as we know it would not exist. And without mathematics our understanding of the universe would be vastly impoverished. But where did this nothing, this hollow circle, come from? Who created it? And what, exactly, does it mean?
Robert Kaplan's The Nothing That Is: A Natural History of Zero begins as a mystery story, taking us back to Sumerian times, and then to Greece and India, piecing together the way the idea of a symbol for nothing evolved. Kaplan shows us just how handicapped our ancestors were in trying to figure large sums without the aid of the zero. (Try multiplying CLXIV by XXIV). Remarkably, even the Greeks, mathematically brilliant as they were, didn't have a zero--or did they? We follow the trail to the East where, a millennium or two ago, Indian mathematicians took another crucial step. By treating zero for the first time like any other number, instead of a unique symbol, they allowed huge new leaps forward in computation, and also in our understanding of how mathematics itself works.
In the Middle Ages, this mathematical knowledge swept across western Europe via Arab traders. At first it was called "dangerous Saracen magic" and considered the Devil's work, but it wasn't long before merchants and bankers saw how handy this magic was, and used it to develop tools like double-entry bookkeeping. Zero quickly became an essential part of increasingly sophisticated equations, and with the invention of calculus, one could say it was a linchpin of the scientific revolution. And now even deeper layers of this thing that is nothing are coming to light: our computers speak only in zeros and ones, and modern mathematics shows that zero alone can be made to generate everything.
Robert Kaplan serves up all this history with immense zest and humor; his writing is full of anecdotes and asides, and quotations from Shakespeare to Wallace Stevens extend the book's context far beyond the scope of scientific specialists. For Kaplan, the history of zero is a lens for looking not only into the evolution of mathematics but into very nature of human thought. He points out how the history of mathematics is a process of recursive abstraction: how once a symbol is created to represent an idea, that symbol itself gives rise to new operations that in turn lead to new ideas. The beauty of mathematics is that even though we invent it, we seem to be discovering something that already exists.
The joy of that discovery shines from Kaplan's pages, as he ranges from Archimedes to Einstein, making fascinating connections between mathematical insights from every age and culture. A tour de force of science history, The Nothing That Is takes us through the hollow circle that leads to infinity.


Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 12/01/2000
ISBN: 9780195142372
Pages: 240
Weight: 0.58lbs
Size: 7.73h x 4.68w x 0.60d
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SKU: 8638417556

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Tamara Hughley
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
Happy to find a seller that carries the 120
Size: 8.5"X11"
I’ve been doing sublimation since May 2025. I have tried a variety between 105, 120 and 125. I’m not exactly sure why 120 ASub it is becoming harder to find . I absolutely love it. When I make my stainless steel tumblers, my colors pop more with 120.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2026
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Dinusha
New York, US
★★★★★ 4
Great Sublimation Paper – Perfect for Mugs
Size: 8.5"X11"
I purchased A-SUB Sublimation Paper 8.5x11 Inch 120GSM and I’m very happy with the results. The colors transfer beautifully. I used it for sublimation mugs and the print came out vibrant, sharp, and very professional-looking. No fading, no dull colors. I also tried using it for a cap, but the issue was not the paper — my cap heat press machine didn’t perform well and the transfer failed. For mugs, this paper works perfectly. Highly recommend for mug sublimation projects.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2026
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Michael mariana
Lowell, US
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Craft paper
Size: 8.5"X11"
Good price!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2026
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Arte Cool & Neo
Houston, US
★★★★★ 5
Excelente papel para sublimación
Size: 8.5"X11", Size: 8.5"X11"
“Muy buena calidad. Los colores salen vivos y definidos al sublimar. El secado es rápido y funciona perfecto con mi impresora de sublimación. Muy recomendado para proyectos personalizados y pequeños negocios creativos.”
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Dianne M. Daniels
Alexandria, US
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Perfect add-on for a pre-owned computer
I recently transformed my home computer from PC to Mac, and after doing my research, decided an the M1 Mac Mini. I saved myself some $$$ by purchasing a pre-owned computer, and because of my prior experience as an IT professional, I decided to invest in the 3 year protection plan. The Mac Mini is not a cheap computer by any means, even pre-owned, but I feel much more comfortable having the protection plan. I think it's a good deal and well worth the price - especially for someone who doesn't know the super-technical ins and outs of the model and the brand. I have a stronger sense of safety and preparation since I purchased the plan.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2023

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