StarTalk Radio Things You Thought You Knew – Somewhere Over the Rainbow
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Mar 15, 2022 Can anything really be found at the end of a rainbow? Dive into the science behind rainbows and discover how individual perceptions shape our understanding. Unravel the mystique of zero and its revolutionary impact on mathematics, along with its fascinating historical journey. Explore the quirky connections between Einstein's Theory of Relativity, time, space, and our modern-day Zoom interactions, all packed with humor and insightful revelations. It's a colorful blend of science and life that challenges what you thought you knew!
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Multiple Rainbows
- Raindrops produce multiple rainbows; the second is dimmer and has reversed colors.
- These rainbows, called orders, are often too faint to see against a bright sky.
Zero's Late Arrival
- The concept of zero as a number was a late invention in human history.
- Early civilizations like the Romans had no symbol or use for zero, as numbers were primarily for counting objects.
Julian Calendar and Year Zero
- The Julian calendar, which introduced leap years, lacked a year zero, transitioning directly from 1 BC to 1 AD.
- This created a discrepancy, as Jesus's birth likely occurred closer to 3 or 4 BC.