A new study of fragmentary 15th-century manuscripts of the Golasara, a treatise from the Kerala School of Astronomy and Mathematics, has revealed the use of advanced recursive algorithms. Published in Mathematical Archaeology Quarterly, the research demonstrates that Indian astronomers were using sophisticated infinite series to calculate the non-linear precession of lunar nodes with an accuracy that predates similar European breakthroughs by two centuries.
The computational model used by the researchers suggests that the Golasara authors had developed a precursor to modern perturbation theory, allowing them to account for the gravitational influence of multiple celestial bodies on the moon's orbit. This discovery further solidifies the reputation of the Kerala School as a global pioneer in the development of calculus and planetary dynamics.