The 3,000-year-old story hidden in the @ sign
4 days ago
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- The @ sign has various names in different languages, such as 'little mouse' in Taiwan, 'dog' in Russian, and 'monkey's tail' in Dutch.
- In 2010, MoMA acquired the @ sign for its permanent collection, recognizing its cultural and design significance.
- The @ sign's origins trace back to ancient Greek amphoras, where it was used as an abbreviation for the unit of measure.
- The first modern use of @ was in 1536 by a merchant to denote the price of an amphora of wine.
- Typewriters in the 19th century helped standardize the @ sign, as it was essential for business and accounting.
- Ray Tomlinson repurposed the @ sign in 1971 for email addresses, embedding it in internet culture.
- The @ sign has been creatively named in various languages, often based on its visual resemblance to objects or animals.
- In Spanish and Portuguese, @ is sometimes used as a gender-neutral character in written language.
- Usernames with @ have become deeply tied to personal identity and online personas.
- The @ sign is currently displayed at MoMA's 'Pirouette: Turning Points in Design' exhibition until November 2025.