In Science
In mathematics, many sequences of numbers or of polynomials are indexed by nonnegative integers, for example the Bernoulli numbers and the Bell numbers.
The zeroth law of thermodynamics was formulated after the first, second, and third laws, but considered more fundamental, hence its name.
In biology, an organism is said to have zero order intentionality if it shows "no intention of anything at all". This would include a situation where the organism's genetically predetermined phenotype results in a fitness benefit to itself, because it did not "intend" to express its genes. In the similar sense, a computer may be considered from this perspective a zero order intentional entity as it does not "intend" to express the code of the programs it runs.
In biological or medical experiments, initial measurements made before any experimental time has passed are said to be on the 0 day of the experiment.
Patient zero (or index case) is the initial patient in the population sample of an epidemiological investigation.
Read more about this topic: Zero-based Numbering
Famous quotes containing the word science:
“Science has nothing to be ashamed of even in the ruins of Nagasaki. The shame is theirs who appeal to other values than the human imaginative values which science has evolved.”
—Jacob Bronowski (1908–1974)
“I’ve been asked to give some words of advice for young women entering library/information science education. Does anyone ever take advice? The advice we give is usually what we would do or would have done if we had the chance, and the advice that’s taken, if ever, is often what we wanted to hear in the first place.”
—Phyllis Dain (b. 1930)