Mangareva: Medieval Silicon Valley in Paradise

Most of us today are accustomed to a counting system and entire units of measurement based on the number 10. The permanence of this system could make it seem a rule of nature, when in fact it was an arbitrary choice established by our ancestors. Across the world, a variety of different number bases have been used. And for non-human counting and calculation aka computers, a binary system (based on the number 2) is best. And while our modern bias tends to see our ancient predecessors as primitive, the people of Mangareva, with their binary counting system, may have been uniquely prepared to thrive in the Information Age. Come learn the fun size story of this tiny island in the South Pacific, the Silicon Valley of the Middle Ages!