
About this episode
This episode explores the origins and history of the @ sign, tracing its use back to medieval merchants and a 1970s programmer.
The @ sign goes by many names today, but it's only so commonplace because of medieval merchants and one 1970s programmer. Learn more about the at sign (or arroba, Klammeraffe, strudel, grisehale, or gül) in this episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://people.howstuffworks.com/arroba.htm See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
People in this episode
Host: Full Name
Topics covered
- at sign
- history
- programming
- medieval commerce
- symbol origins
Keywords
- at sign
- arroba
- Klammeraffe
- strudel
- symbol history
- programming symbols
- medieval merchants
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: BrainStuff, iHeartPodcasts
Books & works: HowStuffWorks
More episodes of BrainStuff
- How Does Your Heart Get Blood? · June 12, 2026 · 12 min
- How Do Butterflies Get Their Brilliant Colors? · June 10, 2026 · 10 min
- How Did William the Conquerer Transform England? · June 8, 2026 · 12 min
- Could Dilophosaurus Really Spit Poison? · June 5, 2026 · 9 min
- Do Our Pinky Toes Serve a Purpose? · June 3, 2026 · 7 min
- BrainStuff Classics: What Can Babies See in the Womb? · May 30, 2026 · 5 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the BrainStuff podcast page.