Technolandy

Day 107 (of 2025/26) the case for base-12, not 10 (as we are already doing it) a #lunarnewyear thought

Base-10 is the number of fingers we were born with.

Base-12 is the number systems we built on purpose.

Time & Nature

• 12 months

• 12 hours (twice daily)

• 12 lunar cycles

• 360 degrees → 30 × 12

• 60 minutes → 5 × 12

Time bends in dozens

Story & Culture

• 12 labours of Heracles

• 12 knights of the Round Table

• 12 tribes of Israel

• 12 imams

• 12 disciples

• 12 jurors

• 12 zodiac constellations 

• 12 animals in lunar zodiac

• 12 dream goals of the Buddha
• 12 jyortirlinga temples of Shiva

Humanity likes 12

Body & Brain

• 12 cranial nerves

• 12 pairs of ribs
• 12 Thoracic vertebrae 
• 12 year molars

Structure prefers twelve

Commerce & Culture

• Dozens (eggs, donuts, etc)

• Baker’s dozen

• 12-tone music

• Sesame Street counting to 12 (on the pinball animation)

• Seahawks 12s

The 12s didn’t invent the number, they just noticed…

10 divides by 2 and 5 -but 12 is the social butterfly of digits… 2,3,4,6… halves, thirds, quarters, and sixths!

Base-10 is anatomical

Base-12 is architectural…

Do more thinking in dozens… see where it appears more naturally than 10…  count in dozens for a day. Notice what feels natural.