The secret of the @ symbol, which originated in 1536.

Few people know that the @ symbol has existed since 1536, having been used in commerce before becoming an indispensable symbol for email.

The familiar @ symbol in every email address today actually existed hundreds of years before the internet was born, carrying with it a long and surprising history.

According to historical records, this symbol was first recorded in 1536 in a letter from a merchant in Florence, where it was used to indicate the price of goods in trade.

Many theories suggest that the @ symbol originates from the Latin word "ad," which medieval scribes shortened to save time when transcribing documents by hand.

Furthermore, some studies suggest that this symbol once appeared in ancient manuscripts, even replacing letters in certain specific contexts, although there is no conclusive evidence.

By the 19th century, the @ symbol had become popular in accounting, used to record sales prices such as "10 items @ $5", and was subsequently adopted for typewriter keyboards.

The biggest turning point came in 1971 when Ray Tomlinson chose @ as the separator symbol in the first email system on the ARPANET.

This seemingly simple decision transformed a little-noticed character into a central symbol of global electronic communication for decades.

Today, @ is not just a technical tool but also carries cultural significance, with many interesting names around the world , demonstrating its journey from an ancient commercial symbol to a symbol of the digital age.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/bi-mat-ky-hieu-xuat-hien-tu-nam-1536-post2149098243.html