Original version

BBC World Service

BBC World Service Radio

World Service Radio

Discovery

Documentaries

Factual: Science & Nature

Factual: Science & Nature: Science & Technology

BBC World Service Online

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East Asia

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

BBC World Service West and Central Africa

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

Discovery: Nature's Numbers

Magazines & Reviews

cropPiraha-copyright-Edward.jpg

11/01/2016 GMT

Nature's Numbers

BBC World Service - Discovery, Nature's NumbersSearch BBC

What can babies and an Amazonian tribe tell us about the origins of mathematics?

A South American culture with no words for numbers and a budding mathematician aged seven months.  Alex Bellos explores the roots of our numerical skills

Mathematics is one of the most extraordinary things humans can do with their brains but where do our numerical abilities come from?  Maths writer Alex Bellos looks for answers from a tribe in the Brazilian Amazon which has no words for numbers in its language.  He also meets a budding mathematician who is only seven months old.  

Image credit: Edward Gibson

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Discovery

Nature's Numbers

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service

About BBC World Service