Mathematical Mystery Believed to Have Been Solved

The Scotsman ^ | Mon 6 Sep 2004 | John von Radowitz

[martin_fierro]

One of the seven great unsolved mysteries of mathematics

Or eight, depending on how you do the math. < |:)~

[Dog Gone]

If de Branges turned out to be right, it would have a dramatic impact on both global business and national security.

Encrypted codes are based on the randomness of prime numbers. If a system could be found that made them predictable, no secret would be safe.

I had to sprain my brain trying to understand why this article has any importance to anyone besides math eggheads.

And then, there it was.

[TexasCajun]

“It can´t fail to have enormous implications; it will just be huge.”

Didn't someone say that about some new scooter once upon a time?

[rolling_stone]

Yeah but can he figure out the IRS forms?

[Focault's Pendulum]

“He´s very reclusive, and won´t talk to anyone. He´s shown no indication of publishing this as a paper, and he´s shown no interest in the prize whatsoever.

A disinterested genius....or a slick marketeer.

Publish the damn thing...and let those who want to...have at it.

[RadioAstronomer]

ping

[ClearCase_guy]

John Kerry will fund an initiatve to fully explore the Seven great unsolved mysteries of mathematics. The funding will be divided between the seven topics which will be labeld A- H ...

[Viet-Boat-Rider]

Let's see...a random prime number generator that factors in the square root of the hypothesis while counterbalancing the spectrometry of the scale of the universe.....hummmmmm

I GOT IT! It equates to sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll!

[Restorer]

A disinterested genius....or a slick marketeer.

The smart money is on the first possibility.

Anybody capable of solving this problem is likely to be a little odd and unworldly.

[Bluntpoint]

Geometrization Conjecture is what keeps nerds from getting laid!!!

[ET(end tyranny)]

And then, there it was.

Uh, huh. Was thinking the same. then add to what you wrote, the comment about bringing e-commerce to its knees.

[ckilmer]

might have some implications vis-a-vis string theory.

if they could get string theory to have anything to do with reality--some enormously profound machines could be built. Instead of it taking 500 years to get to the stars --the time frame would collapse down to about 100 years or so.

[billb]

This is hugh!

[Homer_J_Simpson]

“It´s just so damn complicated, he said. It really can take two or three years to certify the thing.”

Just give me a sec.

[Lemme see, OK, OK, right, uh huh, carry the six . . . Bingo!]

Yes, he's got it

H.J. Simpson PhD.

[Captiva]

Can this guy get my VCR to stop flashing 12:00?

[Willie Green]

Publish the damn thing...and let those who want to...have at it.

According to Reuters:

...He has simply posted his results on the Internet and left his peers to work out for themselves whether he is right -- something they are still struggling to do.
"There is good reason to believe that Perelman's approach is correct. But the trouble is, he won't talk to anybody about it and has shown no interest in the money," said Keith Devlin, Professor of Mathematics at Stanford University in California.

[DannyTN]

"Yeah but can he figure out the IRS forms?"

That's why he wrote the paper.

It's also why he's not interested in the reward. If he accepts it he has to solve the other six problems in order to pay his taxes.

[Fintan]

“It´s just so damn complicated, he said. It really can take two or three years to certify the thing.”
 

 

Note to myself: Balance your checkbook.

 

[Sacajaweau]

My nerdy friends are always busy doing something goofy like calculating the "moment of birth" of their next child. Only a watch calibrated to Greenwich is acceptable in the delivery room. My funny, weird friends!!