When does the human history begin? The answer lies in the way we count years – before and after a significant event – that is today based on the year Jesus Christ was born.

“AD” stands for anno domini, Latin for “in the year of the lord,” and refers specifically to the birth of Jesus Christ. “BC” stands for “Before Christ.”

In recent years, an alternative form of designating the years has gained traction. Many publications use “CE” or “common era,” and “BCE,” or “before common era”.

Nonetheless, the two systems do not make it difficult to understand the time of historical events. This video shows how it becomes less history and more of a mathematical problem.

Instead, they suggest replacing the widely used Gregorian calendar with “the human era” calendar – a linear timeline of events that starts from the beginning of human civilisation. This way the calendar will be able to better represent diverse human developments and cultures in an appropriate fashion.