Hacker News Reader

> Do you actually think these two astronomers and other scientists just came up with their results? That's not how science works.

Sometimes it does, see Calculus.

Moreover, coming from western Europe, I seldom met history teachers or erudites that would casually dismiss another culture's teaching and discoveries.

View on HN

Ah so they discuss the Islamic Golden Age in school curriculums there? They don't even do that in schools in the Arab World :(

No, I wouldn't say they actively discuss it. But it's certainly not censored or dismissed.

But frankly it's a stinky debate. I recently found myself between an Indian and a Tunisian arguing over who invented the zero. Wikipedia, other sources, nuanced opinions and historical facts fell on deaf ears.

The Mayans also independently invented the zero.

Yes, it's covered in world history classes in the U.S. at least.

Newton built upon the work of mathematicians such as John Wallis.

My mistake, I wanted to point out independent discoveries (Leibniz/Newton), not dismissing the shoulder's giants.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com