Solomon Adams

2 months ago | quantamagazine.org | Leila Sloman |Richard Green |Solomon Adams

Introduction In 2003, a German graduate student named Britta Späth encountered the McKay conjecture, one of the biggest open problems in the mathematical realm known as group theory. At first her goals were relatively modest: She hoped to prove a theorem or two that would make incremental progress on the problem, as many other mathematicians had done before her. But over the years, she was drawn back to it, again and again.

2 months ago | quantamagazine.org | Solomon Adams |Gregory Barber |Erica Klarreich

Introduction The world of mathematics is full of unreachable corners, where unsolvable problems live. Now, yet another has been exposed. In 1900, the eminent mathematician David Hilbert announced a list of 23 key problems to guide the next century of mathematical research. His problems not only provided a road map for the field but reflected a more ambitious vision — to build a firm foundation from which all mathematical truths could be derived.

Jan 23, 2025 | quantamagazine.org | Solomon Adams |Gregory Barber |Erica Klarreich |Jordana Cepelewicz

Calculus is a powerful mathematical tool. But for hundreds of years after its invention in the 17th century, it stood on a shaky foundation. Its core concepts were rooted in intuition and informal arguments, rather than precise, formal definitions. Two schools of thought emerged in response, according to Michael Barany, a historian of math and science at the University of Edinburgh. French mathematicians were by and large content to keep going.