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Poincare Conjecture Proof Completed

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the show-your-work dept.

Flamerule writes "A New York Times article has finally provided an update on the status of Grigori Perelman's 2003 rough proof of the Poincaré Conjecture. 3 years ago, Perelman published several papers online explaining his idea for proving the conjecture, but after giving lectures at MIT and several other schools (covered on Slashdot) he returned to Russia, where he's remained silent since. Now, mathematicians in the US and elsewhere have finally finished going over his work and have produced several papers, totaling 1000 pages, that give step-by-step, complete proofs of the conjecture. In addition to winning some or all of the $1,000,000 Millennium Prize, Perelman now seems to be the favorite to receive a Fields Medal at the International Mathematics Union meeting next week, but it's not clear that he'll even show up!"

17 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. Square Pegs in Round Holes by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 2, Funny

    Goddamn I love freaky misfit mathematical geniuses. They're even better than their nerdier cousins, the chess geniuses. The ones from Central/Eastern Europe and South Asia always seem to be the most fun.

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    make install -not war

    1. Re:Square Pegs in Round Holes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny
      The ones from Central/Eastern Europe and South Asia always seem to be the most fun.


      No kidding. Half of my good math books are Russian translations (and half of my good math professors were Russians). The mathematical ability of Russians must have something to with long Siberian winters. Nothing to do except pee in the snow and write math problems, sometimes both at the same time (especially if you can get some of the 'good' soda machine vodka)!
  2. Too Many Pages by tonyr1988 · · Score: 3, Funny
    Now, mathematicians in the US and elsewhere have finally finished going over his work and have produced several papers, totaling 1000 pages
    Someone's going to have to post a printer-friendly on that one.
    1. Re:Too Many Pages by NotQuiteReal · · Score: 2, Funny
      Simple - just wave your hands and blather on for a page or so about how obvious the proof is... and in the footnotes reference the 1000 page version.

      Trust me, 99.9999% of the folks will never follow the link if your short blather is at all close to an accurite summary.

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      This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
  3. a million, a thousand, roundness by davidwr · · Score: 4, Funny

    $1,000,000, 1,000 pages, those numbers are apprpriately round for the occasion.

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    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
    1. Re:a million, a thousand, roundness by dabigpaybackski · · Score: 2, Funny

      You mind proving that?

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      "OH SHIT, THERE'S A HORSE IN THE HOSPITAL!"
  4. Seemed obvious by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Isn't the answer 42?

  5. Re:I remain skeptical by tftp · · Score: 2, Funny

    People who tried to do it on 999 pages or less all failed.

  6. Re:I remain skeptical by maynard · · Score: 4, Funny

    wait! Don't dung beetles roll their dung into balls? And what does that make it? A sphere! There's some connection here, I swear. Whoa...

  7. TFA is well worth reading by OldManAndTheC++ · · Score: 2, Funny

    Quite an interesting character, this Perelman, and his proof could turn out to be a real landmark for mathematics.

    I liked this bit:

    Asked about Dr. Perelman's pleasures, Dr. Anderson said that he talked a lot about hiking in the woods near St. Petersburg looking for mushrooms.

    Whatever he's smoking, I want some!

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    Soylent Green is peoplicious!
  8. Re:A rabbit is a donut, not a sphere. by mcc · · Score: 2, Funny

    What kind of strange rabbits have these topologists seen?

    Chocolate ones

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    Irritable, left-wing and possibly humorous bumper stickers and t-shirts
  9. Maybe he... by rolandog · · Score: 2, Funny

    just found a girlfriend? //I keed.

  10. Re:Grigori Perelman, please give us a sign! by drix · · Score: 5, Funny

    Haha.. oh that's rich. "Please Mr. Perelman--flee from the military-industrial complex. Come to a sanctum of human rights and democracy. Come to ... [wait for it] ... America!"

    The reason they can't find him in Russia is because he's already living in Sweden.

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    I think there is a world market for maybe five personal web logs.
  11. Re:Grigori Perelman, please give us a sign! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    Oh no, not in Sweden! We should send a rescue party before the socialists and insane feminists get to him. He may be taxed to death!

  12. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 2, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  13. Re:Grigori Perelman, please give us a sign! by anothy · · Score: 3, Funny

    i keep asking for a "Tragic" modifier, but i can't decide whether it would be +1 or -1.

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    i speak for myself and those who like what i say.
  14. Okay, so what you're saying is... by spun · · Score: 4, Funny

    (forgive me)

    In Soviet Russia, mathematics teaches you.

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    - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton