More on Riemann Hypothesis

Anonymous Coward writes "The NYTimes has a little story on a recent conference at New York University's Courant Institute where mathematicians gathered to discuss potential attacks on the Riemann hypothesis. The Clay Mathematics Institute had announced an award of a million dollars for a proof (or refutation) of the Riemann hypothesis during the millenial celebrations. That million dollars won't be worth much if it takes as long as that Last Theorem by Fermat to solve. There were some interesting observations such as the statistical distribution of the zeros looked just like calculations on the energy levels of large atoms." We did a related story on hard math problems two years ago.

Comments

Good intro...

[ImaLamer]

"that God -- with whom he waged a very personal war -- would not let Hardy die with such glory."

That has to be the funniest things I've read, today.

Is it me or does it seem that all "hard" mathematicians are either at war with God or trying to "refute"/"prove"/divide/discover/humiliate him/her/it/Taco?

You can't stop these attacks

[capt.Hij]

The problem is that these mathematical terrorists form small cells (usually located near institutions of "higher education") which are extremely difficult to penetrate. It usually requires connections made early during college and 4-5 years after that. Some people have been known to take much longer.

Even if you are able to get into a cell it can be extremely difficult to stay in and keep your sanity. Many people who do get in just sort of drift off from society and are all but lost. Those few that make it often end up working alone, late at night in the back of dimly lit coffee houses.

There is simply no way to stop someone who is willing to make such sacrifices.