A team of astronomers has discovered the largest structure in the universe till date. It is named Quipu and has 200 quadrillion solar masses which means it is 200 quadrillion times heavier than our sun. Quipu is roughly 1.3 billion light-years wide
Did you know??
Quipu – The word refers to a knot and it was used by Incas for measurement
Incas – The largest empire in the Peruvian highland in South America
Quadrillion – One followed by 15 Zeros
Solar mass – Mass of the sun
Billion – One followed by 9 Zeros
Light year – Though it is called a year, it is a unit of distance and not of time. It is used to measure the distance between stars. It is related to the distance travelled by light in a year.
The Story behind Quipo
Quipu: The String Calculator of the Incas
Long ago, before computers or calculators, the Incas had a clever way to keep track of numbers and stories. They used something called a Quipu (pronounced kee‑poo).
What is a Quipu?
- A Quipu was made of colorful strings.
- Knots tied in different places stood for numbers.
- The colors and patterns helped record information like food supplies, people in villages, or even important events.
It was like carrying a pocket calculator made of yarn!
Quipu and the Stars
The Incas didn’t just use Quipus for counting—they also looked to the sky.
- They studied the stars, the sun, and the moon to understand seasons.
- Some Quipus may have been used to mark astronomical events, like eclipses or the movement of planets.
- Imagine tying knots to show when the next full moon would appear!
Why It’s Amazing
The Quipu shows us that people can be creative problem‑solvers without modern machines.
