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2022 Fields and Abacus Medals
In Times of Scarcity, War and Peace, a Ukrainian Finds the Magic in Math
With her homeland mired in war, the sphere-packing number theorist Maryna Viazovska has become the second woman to win a Fields Medal in the award’s 86-year history.
Abstractions blog
John Conway Solved Mathematical Problems With His Bare Hands
The legendary mathematician, who died on April 11, was curious, colorful and one of the greatest problem-solvers of his generation.
sphere packing
Out of a Magic Math Function, One Solution to Rule Them All
Mathematicians used “magic functions” to prove that two highly symmetric lattices solve a myriad of problems in eight- and 24-dimensional space.
2018 Fields Medal and Nevanlinna Prize
A Master of Numbers and Shapes Who Is Rewriting Arithmetic
The 30-year-old math sensation Peter Scholze is now one of the youngest Fields medalists for “the revolution that he launched in arithmetic geometry.”
number theory
Mathematicians Find Moonshine Link for Pariah Symmetries
A type of symmetry so unusual that it was called a “pariah” turns out to have deep connections to number theory.
profiles
The Oracle of Arithmetic
At 28, Peter Scholze is uncovering deep connections between number theory and geometry.
geometry
Sphere Packing Solved in Higher Dimensions
The Ukrainian mathematician Maryna Viazovska has solved the centuries-old sphere-packing problem in dimensions eight and 24.
number theory
Mathematicians Chase Moonshine’s Shadow
Researchers are on the trail of a mysterious connection between number theory, algebra and string theory.