The Maya were master astronomers and mathematicians who developed one of the most accurate calendar systems in the ancient world. Their 'Long Count' calendar was designed to track vast periods of time, based on a vigesimal (base-20) system. It allowed them to record historical events with incredible precision, pinpointing dates over thousands of years. Contrary to popular misconceptions about the 'end of the world' in 2012, the calendar functioned in cycles; that date merely marked the end of a 144,000-day cycle called a Baktun. The Maya also understood the concept of zero long before it was introduced in Europe, using a shell symbol to represent it. Their astronomical observations were so precise that they calculated the solar year to within a few seconds of modern measurements. This mathematical sophistication was deeply tied to their religion, as they believed time was a series of divine cycles that could be predicted and managed through ritual.