1. The Ampersand ("&")

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The ampersand image (&) represents the Latin conjunction "et" which equals the English word "and." Such ligature changed into first invented in Ancient Rome via way of means of Tiro, Cicero's non-public secretary. To accelerate writing, Tiro invented a gadget of abbreviations which have become referred to as the "Tironian Notes."

Many centuries later, the ampersand have become so famous in Europe and America that, for a protracted time, it loved the respect of concluding the English alphabet. It simplest started to be ignored withinside the early 20th century. The real word "ampersand" is a contraction of the phrase "And in keeping with se and" that instructors used to mention after reciting the alphabet from "A" to "Z."

Over time, the letters "E" and "T" have merged into the image we use today.

2. The Heart Symbol

In this case, matters are even much less straightforward. Despite the famous perception that "love is living in the coronary heart," absolutely each person is aware of that the form of the actual human coronary heart has little in not unusual place with this symbolic representation. However, there are numerous theories approximately the image's origins.
  • When dating swans technique every different in the center of a lake, their shapes merge right into a form just like the coronary heart image. In most of the global's cultures, those birds constitute love, loyalty, and devotion because of the truth that swan pairs live collectively for life.
  • Another speculation says that the coronary heart image at first represented the female form. Supporters of this principle argue that the image depicts the form of the girl pelvis. The Ancient Greeks have been acknowledged to connect unique importance to this a part of the girl anatomy or even went directly to assemble one very unique temple to the goddess Aphrodite. It become specific as it become the simplest temple in the global wherein humans worshipped the buttocks. Oh yes, you study that right!
  • There is likewise a principle declaring that this image represents the form of an ivy leaf. On their vases, the Greeks commonly blanketed ivy leaves in drawings that portrayed Dionysus - the god of winemaking and client of passion.

3. The Bluetooth Symbol

In the 10th century AD, Denmark become dominated with the aid of using King Harald Blåtand, a ancient discern well-known for uniting Danish tribes right into a unmarried kingdom. Harald become frequently called "Bluetooth" in view that he become a recognized lover of blueberries, and at the least one in all his enamel had a everlasting blue tint.

Bluetooth generation is designed for uniting more than one gadgets right into a unmarried network. The image representing this generation is a aggregate of Scandinavian runes: "Hagall" (or "Hagalaz") that is the analogue of the Latin "H," and "Bjarkan" - a rune that equals the Latin letter "B." These runes shape the initials of Harald Blåtand's name. By the way, a first generation Bluetooth tool become coloured blue and - yes, you have guessed it - resembled a tooth.

4. The Medical Symbol

Not many humans recognize this, however the image of medicine (a group of workers with wings and snakes) turned into first followed via way of means of mistake.

According to legend, the Greek god Hermes (in Roman pantheon, Mercury) possessed a magic group of workers, the Caduceus, which seemed exactly just like the current scientific image. The Caduceus had the energy to prevent any disputes and reconcile enemies, however it had not anything to do with medicine.

The easy fact is that, greater than one hundred years ago, US navy medical doctors pressured the Caduceus with the Rod of Asclepius (which seemed comparable however had no wings and handiest one snake). Since Asclepius is the Ancient Greek god of restoration and medicine, the error is pretty understandable. Subsequently, the image has taken root and is now used to symbolize scientific confidentiality.

5. The "Power On" Symbol

The "electricity" (or "electricity on") image may be discovered on nearly any device, however few humans realize approximately its origins.

As early because the 1940s, engineers used a binary machine for representing particular switches, wherein 1 intended on and zero intended off. In the subsequent decades, it has converted right into a signal that functions a circle (zero) and a vertical line (one).

6. The Peace Symbol

The peace image (additionally referred to as the Pacific) became invented in 1958 all through the protests in opposition to the usage of nuclear weapons. The image is a aggregate of the semaphore indicators for the letters "N" and "D," status for "Nuclear Disarmament."

In the semaphore alphabet, the letter "N" is transmitted with the aid of using maintaining flags in an inverted "V," and the letter "D" is shaped with the aid of using maintaining one flag pointed instantly up and the alternative pointed instantly down. Superimposing those symptoms and symptoms bureaucracy the form of the peace image.

7. The "OK" Sign

Most people interpret this hand gesture as the equivalent of the words "All right" or "Okay." However, it is not perceived as something positive everywhere. For instance, in France, the gesture denotes that the person at whom it is directed is a zero (a nothing). There are several theories about where this gesture could've come from:
  • It is believed that the "OK" sign originated as a visual supplement to the abbreviation of "Old Kinderhook, NY" - the birthplace of the 8th U.S. President, Martin Van Buren. During his election campaign, Van Buren adopted an alias that sounded like the first letters of his hometown's name. The slogan of his campaign was "Old Kinderhook is O. K." and the posters portrayed a person showing the "OK" gesture.
  • Another similar hypothesis states that the 7th U.S. President, Andrew Jackson, used this expression when finalizing his decisions. He often wrote "All correct" in the German manner: "Oll korrect," or simply the abbreviation "OK."
  • Yet another theory says that the "OK" gesture by itself is nothing other than a mudra - a ritual gesture in Buddhism and Hinduism. The sign symbolizes learning, and many Buddhist artworks depict the Buddha making this gesture.