Posted on 03/23/2010 12:35:33 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
A Russian awarded $1million (£666,000) for solving one of the most intractable problems in mathematics said yesterday that he does not want the money.
Said to be the world's cleverest man, Dr Grigory Perelman, 44, lives as a recluse in a bare cockroach-infested flat in St Petersburg. He said through the closed door: 'I have all I want.'
The prize was given by the U.S. Clay Mathematics Institute for solving the Poincare Conjecture, which baffled mathematicians for a century. Dr Perelman posted his solution on the internet.
Four years ago, the maths genius failed to turn up to receive his prestigious Fields Medal from the International Mathematical Union for solving the problem.
At the time he stated: 'I'm not interested in money or fame. I don't want to be on display like an animal in a zoo.
'I'm not a hero of mathematics. I'm not even that successful, that is why I don't want to have everybody looking at me.'
Neighbour Vera Petrovna said: 'I was once in his flat and I was astounded. He only has a table, a stool and a bed with a dirty mattress which was left by previous owners - alcoholics who sold the flat to him.
'We are trying to get rid of cockroaches in our block, but they hide in his flat.'
It was in 2002 that Perelman, then a researcher at the Steklov Institute of Mathematics in St. Petersburg, began posting papers online suggesting he had solved the Poincare Conjecture, one of seven major mathematical puzzles for which the Clay Institute is offering $1 million each.
Rigorous tests proved he was correct.
The topological conundrum essentially states that any three-dimensional space without holes in it is equivalent to a stretched sphere.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Every now and then one stumbles upon a genius who matches the eccentric stereotype.
Somewhere on the autistic spectrum perhaps?
I am not sure I would accept THAT amount either.
Smart guy if he was awarded the Fields Medal.
Odd, though.
Maybe, just maybe he can find a missing number that will alter the size of the National Debt! Wouldn’t surprise me that we move the decimal point somewhere in the next session of Congress and it won’t FEEL so bad...with so many zeros.
Those eyebrows!
Bobby Fisher, is that you.
Beware of mail one may receive from this gentleman. It may be quite explosive news if opened...........just sayin........
We need this guy in Congress.
Too bad he didn't pursue a career in climatology.
The topological conundrum essentially states that any three-dimensional space without holes in it is equivalent to a stretched sphere.
I could told them that ...
I wonder if any sufficiently advanced genius isn’t likely indistinguishable from madness.
Different people are “smart” in different ways. A guy that cannot grasp the concept of language but can run circles around anyone else on a sports court is “smart” in his brains connection to his muscles.
Meanwhile a math genius “poindexter” may be unable to dribble a basketball more than once or catch a fly ball without it bouncing off his forehead first.
Both are smart in one way and dumb as a box of rocks in another. Looks like this guy is, as are we all, smart and dumb at the same time.
For most of us, though, the “smarts” are more evenly spread out among the various skill sets.
Yeah..I hear cockroach stew is very tasty.
"...and then TWANG! That's when something just snapped in there, Doc! I think I broke my brain."
He's a lying bum! I told him if I gave him the answer he'd split the cash with me..........
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