Computational linguists and historians at the Manipal Academy of Higher Education have completed the decipherment of a rare palm-leaf manuscript found in a private library in Udupi. The text, a commentary on the Siddhanta tradition known as the Karana-Ratna, contains previously unknown mathematical series for approximating the eccentricity of Mars' orbit. These algorithms demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of non-uniform motion that predates similar European developments.
The research, published in the Journal of Indian History of Science, utilizes AI-driven paleography to reconstruct missing fragments of the script. The study highlights how medieval Indian astronomers used recursive trigonometric series to achieve precision in eclipse prediction and planetary longitude calculations, far exceeding the requirements of basic ritual calendars.