How mathematics took humanity from not knowing the size of the Earth to estimating the diameter of the observable universe, and beyond.

Take away satellites, telescopes and all other modern technology we have at our disposal, could you apply logic and mathematics to the movement of the heavens and figure out the distance to the nearest stars, the Sun or the Moon? Could you calculate the circumference of the Earth? Measuring these cosmic distances is much more than tedious bookkeeping. It's critical to understanding our place in the universe.

This week at the HLFF Blog, Ben Skuse explores the mathematical history of our ability to map the cosmos and our place in it.

Check out the full article here: Blog 

Image caption: How Eratosthenes measured the circumference of the Earth. Image credits: Gico, via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0).