Grigory Perelman - biography, information, personal life. Russian mathematician Perelman Grigory Yakovlevich, who proved the Poincaré hypothesis: biography, personal life, interesting facts Who is Grigory Perelman
The history of mankind knows many people who, thanks to their outstanding abilities, became famous. However, it should be said that rarely any of them managed to become a real legend during their lifetime and achieve fame not only in the form of placing portraits in school textbooks. Few of the celebrities reached such a peak of fame, which was confirmed by the conversations of both the world scientific community and the grandmothers sitting on the bench at the entrance.
But in Russia there is such a person. And he lives in our time. This is the mathematician Perelman Grigory Yakovlevich. The main achievement of this great Russian scientist was the proof of Poincaré's hypothesis.
Even any ordinary Spaniard knows that Grigory Perelman is the most famous mathematician in the world. After all, this scientist refused to receive the Fields Prize, which the king of Spain himself should have presented to him. And, without any doubt, only the greatest people are capable of this.
A family
Grigory Perelman was born on June 13, 1966 in the Northern capital of Russia - the city of Leningrad. The father of the future genius was an engineer. In 1993 he left his family and emigrated to Israel.
Grigory's mother, Lyubov Leibovna, worked as a mathematics teacher at a vocational school. She, owning the violin, instilled in her son a love of classical music.
Grigory Perelman was not the only child in the family. He has a sister who is 10 years younger than him. Her name is Elena. She is also a mathematician; at one time she graduated from St. Petersburg University (in 1998). In 2003, Elena Perelman defended her Ph.D. thesis at the Reitsman Rehovot Institute. Since 2007 she has been living in Stockholm, where she works as a programmer.
School years
Grigory Perelman, whose biography has developed so that today he is the most famous mathematician in the world, was a shy and quiet Jewish boy as a child. However, despite this, in knowledge he was significantly superior to his peers. And this allowed him to communicate with adults almost on an equal footing. His peers were still playing in the yard and making sand cakes, and Grisha was already mastering the basics of mathematical science with might and main. The books that were in the family library allowed him to do this. The mother of the future scientist, who was simply in love with this exact science, also contributed to the acquisition of knowledge. Also, the future Russian mathematician Grigory Perelman was fascinated by history and played chess perfectly, which his father taught him.
Nobody forced the boy to sit over the textbooks. Perelman Grigory's parents never tormented their son with moralizing that knowledge is power. He discovered the world of science quite naturally and without any strain. And this was entirely facilitated by the family, whose main cult was not money at all, but knowledge. Parents never scolded Grisha for a lost button or a dirty sleeve. However, it was considered shameful, for example, to make a fake, playing a melody on a violin.
The future mathematician Perelman went to school at the age of six. By this age, he was thoroughly grounded in all subjects. Grisha easily wrote, read and performed mathematical operations using three-digit numbers. And that was the time when his classmates were just learning how to count to a hundred.
At school, the future mathematician Perelman was one of the strongest students. He repeatedly became the winner of the All-Russian mathematical competitions. Until the 9th grade, the future Russian scientist attended a secondary school located on the outskirts of Leningrad, where his family lived. Then he moved to school 239. She had a physical and mathematical bias. In addition, from the fifth grade, Gregory attended the mathematics center opened at the Palace of Pioneers. Classes were conducted here under the guidance of Sergei Rukshin, associate professor of the Russian State Pedagogical University. Pupils of this mathematician constantly won awards at various mathematical olympiads.
In 1982, Grigory, as part of a team of Soviet schoolchildren, defended the honor of the country at the International Mathematical Olympiad held in Hungary. Our guys took first place then. And Perelman, who scored the maximum number of possible points, received a gold medal for the impeccable performance of all tasks proposed at the Olympiad. Today, we can say that this was the last award that he accepted for his work.
It would seem that Gregory, an excellent student in all subjects, without any doubt, had to graduate from school with a gold medal. However, he was let down by physical education, according to which he could not pass the required standard. The class teacher had to simply beg the teacher to give the boy a four in his certificate. Yes, Grisha didn't like sports loads. However, on this occasion, he absolutely did not have a complex. Physical education simply did not interest him as much as other disciplines. He always said that he was convinced that our body needs training, but at the same time he preferred to train not the arms and legs, but the brain.
Team relations
At school, the future mathematician Perelman was a favorite. Not only teachers, but also classmates sympathized with him. Grisha was not a crammer and a nerd. He also did not allow himself to trump the knowledge he received, the depth of which sometimes confused even teachers. He was just a talented child who was fond of not only proving complex theorems, but also classical music. The girls appreciated their classmate for their eccentricity and intelligence, and the boys for their firm and calm character. Grisha not only studied with ease. He also helped his lagging classmates in mastering knowledge.
In Soviet times, a strong student was attached to each poor student, who helped him to pull himself up in any subject. The same order was given to Gregory. He had to help a classmate who was absolutely not interested in studying. In less than two months of classes, Grisha made a solid good student out of a poor student. And this is not surprising. After all, the presentation of complex material at an accessible level is one of the unique abilities of the famous Russian mathematician. Largely due to this quality, Poincaré's theorem was proved by Gregory Perelman in the future.
Student years
After successfully graduating from school, Grigory Perelman became a student at the Leningrad State University. Without any exams, he was enrolled in the Mathematics and Mechanics Department of this higher educational institution.
Perelman did not lose his interest in mathematics during his student years. He constantly became the winner of university, city, and all-Union Olympiads. The future Russian mathematician studied as well as at school. For excellent knowledge he was awarded the Lenin scholarship.
Further training
After graduating with honors from the university, Grigory Perelman entered graduate school. His scientific adviser in those years was the famous mathematician A.D. Alexandrov.
The postgraduate study was at the Leningrad branch of the Institute of Mathematics named after V.I. V.A. Steklov. In 1992, Grigory Yakovlevich defended his Ph.D. thesis. The topic of his work concerned saddle surfaces in Euclidean spaces. Later, Perelman remained to work at the same institute, taking the position of a senior researcher in the laboratory of mathematical physics. During this period, he continued to study the theory of space and was able to prove several hypotheses.
Work in the USA
In 1992, Grigory Perelman was invited to Stony Brook University and New York University. These educational institutions of America invited the scientist to spend one semester there.
In 1993, Grigory Yakovlevich continued to teach at Berkeley, at the same time teaching there scientific work... It was at this time that Perelman Gregory became interested in Poincaré's theorem. It was the most complicated problem of modern mathematics, which had not been solved at that time.
Return to Russia
In 1996, Grigory Yakovlevich returned back to St. Petersburg. He again received the post of research assistant at the Institute. Steklov. At the same time, he single-handedly worked on the Poincaré conjecture.
Description of the theory
The problem arose in 1904. It was then that the French scientist Andri Poincaré, who in scientific circles was considered a mathematical universal because of the development of new methods of celestial mechanics and the creation of topology, put forward a new mathematical hypothesis. He suggested that the space around us is a three-dimensional sphere.
It is rather difficult to describe the essence of the hypothesis for a common man in the street. There are too many scientific calculations in it. As an example, you can imagine an ordinary balloon. In the circus, a wide variety of figures can be made from it. These can be dogs, bunks and flowers. And what is the bottom line? The ball from this remains the same. He does not change any of his physical properties, no molecular composition.
The same is the case with this hypothesis. Its topic relates to topology. This is the branch of geometry that studies the variety that spatial objects have. Topology examines various, outwardly dissimilar objects and finds common features in them.
Poincaré tried to prove the fact that our universe has the shape of a sphere. According to his theory, all simply connected three-dimensional manifolds have the same structure. They are simply connected due to the presence of a single continuous region of the body, in which there are no through holes. It can be a sheet of paper and a glass, a rope and an apple. But a colander and a cup with a handle are completely different objects in their essence.
The concept of geomorphism follows from topology. It includes the concept of geomorphic objects, that is, those when one can get from one another by stretching or compressing. For example, a ball (a piece of clay) from which a potter makes a regular pot. And if the master does not like the product, then he can immediately turn it back into a ball. If the potter decides to mold a cup, then the handle for it will have to be made separately. That is, he creates his object in a different way, receiving not a whole, but a composite product.
Suppose that all objects in our world consist of an elastic, but at the same time, non-sticky substance. This material does not allow us to glue individual parts and glue holes. It can only be used to squeeze or squeeze. Only in this case will you get a new form.
This is the main meaning of Poincaré's conjecture. It says that if you take any three-dimensional object that does not have holes, then, when performing various manipulations, but without gluing and cutting, it can take the shape of a ball.
However, the hypothesis is only the stated version. And this continues until the moment, until she finds an exact explanation. Poincaré's assumptions remained so until they were confirmed by the precise calculations of the young Russian mathematician.
Working on the problem
Grigory Perelman spent several years of his life to prove the Poincaré hypothesis. All this time he thought only about his work. He was constantly looking for the right ways and approaches to solving the problem and understood that the proof was somewhere nearby. And the mathematician was not mistaken.
Even in his student years, the future scientist often liked to repeat the phrase that there are no unsolvable problems. There are only intractable ones. He always believed that everything depends only on the initial data and the time it takes to find the missing ones.
During his stay in America, Grigory Yakovlevich often attended various events. Perelman was especially interested in lectures led by mathematician Richard Hamilton. This scientist also tried to prove Poincaré's hypothesis. Hamilton even developed his own Ricci flow technique, which, rather, was not related to mathematics, but to physics. However, all this very much interested Grigory Yakovlevich.
After returning to Russia, Perelman literally plunged headlong into work on the problem. And after a short period of time he managed to make significant progress in this matter. He approached the solution of the problem completely outside the box. He used Ricci flows as a proof tool.
Perelman sent his calculations to an American colleague. However, he did not even try to delve into the calculations of the young scientist and flatly refused to carry out joint work.
Of course, his doubts can be easily explained. Indeed, in citing evidence, Perelman relied more on the postulates available in theoretical physics. A topological geometric problem was solved by him with the help of related sciences. At first glance, this method was completely incomprehensible. Hamilton did not understand the calculations and was skeptical about the symbiosis that was unexpected for him, which was used as evidence.
He did what was interesting to him
In order to prove the Poincaré theorem (the mathematical formula of the Universe), Grigory Perelman did not appear in scientific circles for a long seven years. Colleagues did not know what he was developing, what was the scope of his occupation. Many could not even answer the question "Where is Grigory Perelman now?"
Everything was resolved in November 2002. It was during this period that Perelman's 39-page work appeared on one of the scientific resources, where one could get acquainted with the latest developments and articles of physicists, in which the proofs of the geometrization theorem were presented. Poincaré's hypothesis was considered as a particular example to explain the essence of the study.
Simultaneously with this publication, Grigory Yakovlevich sent the work he completed to Richard Hamilton, as well as the mathematician Ren Tian from China, with whom he had communicated back in New York. A few more scientists, whose opinion Perelman especially trusted, received a proof of the theorem.
Why was the work of several years of the mathematician's life so easily released, because these proofs could have simply been stolen? However, Perelman, who completed the work for a million dollars, did not at all want to get hold of it or emphasize his uniqueness. He believed that if there is a mistake in his proofs, then they can be taken as a basis for other scientists. And that would already give him satisfaction.
Yes, Grigory Yakovlevich was never an upstart. He always knew exactly what he wanted from life, and had his own opinion on any occasion, which often differed from the generally accepted one.
Money can not buy happiness
What is Grigory Perelman known for? Not only by proving a hypothesis included in the list of seven millennium mathematical problems not solved by scientists. The fact is that Perelman Grigory refused a million-dollar prize, which the Boston Institute of Mathematics named after V.I. Clay. And this was not accompanied by any explanation.
Of course, Perelman really wanted to prove Poincaré's conjecture. He dreamed of solving a puzzle, the solution of which was not obtained by anyone. And here the Russian scientist showed the passion of a researcher. At the same time, it was intertwined with the intoxicating sense of being a pioneer.
Grigory Yakovlevich's interest in the hypothesis moved into the category of "completed cases". Does a true mathematician need a million dollars? Not! The main thing for him is the feeling of his own victory. And it is simply impossible to measure it by earthly standards.
According to the rules, the Clay Prize can be awarded when a person who has solved one or several Millennium Problems at once sends his scientific article to the editorial office of the Institute's journal. Here it is examined in detail and carefully checked. And only two years later a verdict can be passed, which will confirm or deny the correctness of the decision.
The verification of the results obtained by Perelman was carried out from 2004 to 2006. Three independent groups of mathematicians were engaged in this work. All of them made an unambiguous conclusion that the Poincaré conjecture was completely proved.
The prize was awarded to Grigory Perelman in March 2010. For the first time in history, the award was to be awarded for solving one of the problems on the list of "mathematical problems of the millennium." However, Perelman simply did not attend the conference in Paris. On 1.07.2010, he publicly announced his refusal from the award.
Of course, for many people, Perelman's act seems inexplicable. The man easily gave up honors and fame, and also missed the chance to move to America and live comfortably there until the end of his days. However, for Grigory Yakovlevich, all this does not carry any semantic meaning. Just like school physical education lessons used to be.
Seclusion
To date, Grigory Perelman does not remind himself of himself in word or deed. Where does this outstanding person live? In Leningrad, in one of the usual high-rise buildings in Kupchino. Grigory Perelman lives with his mother. His personal life did not work out. However, the mathematician does not give up hope of starting a family.
Grigory Yakovlevich does not communicate with Russian journalists. He kept his contacts only with the foreign press. However, despite the seclusion, interest in this person does not fade away. Books are written about him. Grigory Perelman is often mentioned in scientific articles and essays. Where is Grigory Perelman now? Still at home. Many believe that they will hear this name more than once, and perhaps in connection with the solution of the next “millennium problem”.
The brilliant mathematician Grigory Perelman shocked the scientific world by proving Poincaré's hypothesis - one of the most complex mysteries of the millennium. And the townsfolk were surprised by the refusal of a poor scientist from the prescribed premium of a million dollars. Gradually, the genius himself and his reclusive lifestyle became a mystery, comparable in complexity to the proven theorem.
Childhood and youth
Grigory Yakovlevich leads a secretive lifestyle. The facts of childhood, adolescence and personal life of the scientist are known from the words of neighbors, school teachers and classmates, colleagues who worked together with the mathematician.
Perelman was born on June 13, 1966 in Leningrad. The surname of the brilliant mathematician speaks for itself about nationality. From childhood, the Jewish boy showed incredible abilities and interest in learning. At a time when peers were playing the ball in the yard, little Grisha preferred to read books and play chess.
Contrary to popular belief, Yakov Isidorovich Perelman, a famous scientist, author of books and popularizer of sciences, is not a relative of Grigory Yakovlevich.
Gregory's father is an electrical engineer. In 1993, Perelman Sr. immigrated to his historical homeland in Israel, like thousands of his compatriots in the 90s. The mother of the future outstanding mathematician stayed with the children in Leningrad, taught mathematics at the school.
Grigory Yakovlevich has a younger sister who has built a scientific career. After receiving a degree in mathematics at St. Petersburg University, the woman later left for Sweden. Since 2007 he has been working as a programmer in Stockholm.
By the time the boy went to school, he significantly surpassed his classmates in knowledge, easily counted three-digit numbers in his mind. Perelman's teachers recall that the student conducted conversations on an equal footing with adults.
The magic of logic and numbers attracted Grigory Yakovlevich. From the 5th grade, the boy attended the math center at the Palace of Pioneers. The mentor of the young prodigies was an associate professor at the Sergei Rukshin Pedagogical University. Young Grisha received awards for participating in the Olympiads, including the highest score at the International Mathematical Olympiad.
After graduating from a nine-year school in an ordinary Leningrad school, the graduate moved to a specialized physics and mathematics school No. 239. Without a doubt, the hardworking and talented Perelman studied perfectly. Failed physical training. Failure to pass the TRP standards prevented the graduate from receiving a gold medal.
It is not surprising that after school, Grigory was admitted to the Leningradsky State University to the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics. At the university, Perelman continued to shine at the Olympiads, and received the Lenin Prize for excellent learning outcomes.
The science
After graduation, postgraduate studies followed, then doctoral defense. As a result, the gifted scientist stayed to work at the university that became his hometown as a senior researcher.
In the early 90s, the talented scientist went to the United States, where he visited several universities as part of the exchange of experience. In the United States, the mathematician lectured and met with colleagues. Soon the ascetic Perelman got bored with America, and the scientist returned to his homeland.
Having resumed work at the Leningrad university, the mathematician begins to work hard on the mystery of the millennium, which the ingenious scientists of the century were unable to solve. It is worth noting that Perelman's fascination with topology had begun a few years earlier. Earlier, the mathematician was able to prove the hypothesis of the soul, which preceded the study of the Poincaré hypothesis.
The meaning of the proof of the hypothesis, however, like the very essence, cannot be described simple language understandable for a person who is far from higher mathematics. The discoveries made by the mathematician are of great importance in the study of the Universe, in the work with nanotechnology.
In addition, the hypothesis states that the peculiarity of the shape of the Universe leads to the fact that it can be pulled into one point. This, in turn, indirectly confirms the Big Bang theory. Supporters of the theological origin of the Universe have received reason to doubt about God as the creator of all things. Poincaré's hypothesis proves that there is no God.
In 2002-2003, Perelman published articles that reveal the essence of the evidence. Three independent groups of mathematicians, having verified the arguments, confirmed the complete proof.
In 2003, Perelman visited the United States, lectured on his own discovery, and shared his experience with his compatriots. And in 2005, the scientist unexpectedly leaves the department and locks himself in an apartment in Kupchino, where he lives with his sick mother.
Personal life
The reclusive lifestyle leaves hundreds of questions. The main one that interests journalists and citizens is the reason why Grigory Perelman refused the money that rightfully belongs to him. It is about the Clay Institute Prize. The Mathematical Institute has compiled a list of seven riddles that are eligible for a million dollar reward. Poincaré's hypothesis was included in this list.
Of course, having learned about the discovery of a Russian scientist, the founders immediately turned to the scientist. Imagine the general surprise when the mathematician refused a million dollars without explaining the reasons.
Soon, Grigory Yakovlevich stopped communicating with the press altogether. He simply ignores Russian journalists, and refuses to give interviews to foreign ones. News of such behavior of the scientist led to rumors about Perelman's illness. It was claimed that the genius is autistic. However, reliable confirmation or conclusions of doctors have not yet been made public.
It is known that the scientist lives with his mother, who is seriously ill. The mathematician has no wife. According to the stories of the teacher Grigory Yakovlevich, who maintains a relationship with him, the mother and son live in poverty.
In 2018, information appeared that the mathematician had moved to Sweden. However, sources in the person of neighbors and shop assistants denied the rumors and confirmed that Perelman had not gone anywhere.
- While working in the States, the scientist surprised his foreign colleagues with his simplicity and detachment from everyday needs. The mathematician's favorite food was cheese sandwiches, which Grigory Yakovlevich drank with kefir or milk. Restaurants and an abundance of grocery stores did not interest the "strange Russian".
- As a child, Grigory was fond of music. Mother instilled in her son the adoration of classical composers. She, being a talented violinist, introduced Grisha to the instrument. Perelman attended a music school with pleasure, and then he faced a difficult choice - to enter the conservatory or to devote himself to the exact sciences.
- Conspiracy theorists have said that Perelman is the most influential person on earth because he knows how to rule the universe. Of course, such a person did not escape the attention of the secret services, and communication with others is prohibited for the scientist.
Quotes
I know how to run the universe. And tell me - why should I run after a million?
The whole world is permeated by emptiness, and it obeys formulas - this gives us limitless possibilities.
If you can train your arms and legs, why can't you train your brain?
There is, perhaps, no unsolvable problem. Difficult to solve. That's more accurate.
Remember the biblical legend about how Jesus Christ walked on water, like dry land? So I had to calculate how fast he had to move through the waters so as not to fall through.
Awards and prizes
- 1991 - Prize "Young Mathematician" of the St. Petersburg Mathematical Society
- 1996 - Prize of the European Mathematical Society for Young Mathematicians
- 2006 - Fields Medal Award
- 2010 - Clay Mathematical Institute Prize
After leaving school without exams, he was admitted to the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics of Leningrad State University (now St. Petersburg State University). During his student years, Perelman repeatedly won mathematical Olympiads. After graduating with honors from the university, he entered graduate school at the Leningrad Department of the Mathematical Institute. V.A. Steklov (since 1992 - St. Petersburg Department of the Mathematical Institute).
In 1990 he defended his Ph.D. thesis and was retained at the institute as a senior researcher.
In 1992, the scientist received an invitation to read a course of lectures at New York University and Stony Brook University, and then worked for some time at the University of Berkeley (USA). While in the United States, Perelman worked as a research assistant at American universities.
In 1996 he returned to St. Petersburg, where he worked at the St. Petersburg branch of the Mathematical Institute until December 2005.
In the period from November 2002 to July 2003, Perelman wrote three articles in which he revealed the solution to one of the special cases of William Thurston's geometrization conjecture, from which the validity of Poincaré's conjecture follows. The method for studying the Ricci flow described by Perelman was called the Hamilton-Perelman theory, since the American mathematician Richard Hamilton was the first to study it.
Poincaré's hypothesis was formulated by the French mathematician Henri Poincaré in 1904 and is the central problem of topology, the science of the geometric properties of bodies that do not change when a body is stretched, twisted or compressed. Poincaré's theorem was considered one of the unsolvable mathematical problems.
The mathematician is known for being categorical and speaking in public.
According to media reports, in 2014, Grigory Perelman received a Swedish visa for 10 years and moved to Sweden, where a local private research firm offered him a high-paying job. However, later it was reported that he lives in St. Petersburg, and visits Sweden as needed.
In 2011, she published about the life and deeds of the Russian scientist Grigory Perelman.
Grigory Yakovlevich Perelman(b. June 13, 1966, Leningrad, USSR) - an outstanding Russian mathematician who was the first to prove Poincaré's conjecture.
Grigory Perelman was born on June 13, 1966 in Leningrad into a Jewish family. His father, Yakov, was an electrical engineer and emigrated to Israel in 1993. Mother, Lyubov Leibovna, remained in St. Petersburg, worked as a mathematics teacher at a vocational school. It was the mother who played the violin who instilled in the future mathematician a love of classical music.
Until the 9th grade, Perelman studied in high school on the outskirts of the city, however, in the 5th grade, he began to study at the mathematics center at the Palace of Pioneers under the guidance of Sergei Rukshin, associate professor of the Russian State Pedagogical University, whose students have won many awards at mathematical olympiads. In 1982, as a member of a team of Soviet schoolchildren, he won a gold medal at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Budapest, receiving a full point for the impeccable solution of all problems. Perelman graduated from the 239th Physics and Mathematics School in Leningrad. Played well table tennis, attended a music school. I did not receive a gold medal only because of physical education, without passing the TRP standards.
He was enrolled in the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics of Leningrad State University without exams. He won the faculty, city and all-Union student mathematical Olympiads. All the years I studied only with excellent marks. He received a Lenin scholarship for his academic success. After graduating with honors from the university, he entered graduate school (supervisor - Academician A.D. Aleksandrov) at the Leningrad Department of the Mathematical Institute. V.A. Steklov (LOMI - until 1992; then - POMI). Having defended his Ph.D. thesis in 1990, he remained to work at the institute as a senior researcher.
In the early 1990s, Perelman came to the United States, where he worked as a research assistant at various universities, where his attention was drawn to one of the most complex, at that time unsolved problems of modern mathematics - the Poincaré Hypothesis. He surprised his colleagues with the asceticism of life, his favorite food was milk, bread and cheese. In 1996 he returned to St. Petersburg, continuing to work at POMI, where he worked alone to solve the Poincaré Problem.
In 2002-2003, Grigory Perelman published his three famous articles on the Internet, in which he summarized his original method for solving the Poincaré Problem:
- The entropy formula for the Ricci flow and its geometric applications
- Ricci flow with surgery on three-manifolds
- Finite extinction time for the solutions to the Ricci flow on certain three-manifolds
The appearance on the Internet of Perelman's first article on the entropy formula for the Ricci flow caused an immediate international sensation in the scientific community. In 2003, Grigory Perelman accepted an invitation to visit a number of American universities, where he gave a series of talks on his work on proving the Poincaré Problem. In America, Perelman spent a lot of time explaining his ideas and methods, both in public lectures organized for him and in personal meetings with a number of mathematicians. After his return to Russia, he answered numerous questions from his foreign colleagues by e-mail.
In 2004-2006, Perelman's results were verified by three independent groups of mathematicians: 1) Bruce Kleiner, John Lott, University of Michigan; 2) Zhu Xiping, Sun Yatsen University, Cao Huidong, Lihai University; 3) John Morgan, Columbia University, Gan Tian, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. All three groups concluded that the Poincaré Problem had been successfully solved, but Chinese mathematicians Zhu Xiping and Cao Huidong, along with their teacher Yau Shintang, attempted plagiarism, claiming that they had found a "complete proof." They later retracted this statement.
In December 2005, Grigory Perelman resigned from the post of leading researcher of the laboratory of mathematical physics, resigned from POMI and almost completely broke off contacts with colleagues.
He showed no interest in a further scientific career. Currently, he lives in Kupchino in the same apartment with his mother, leads a secluded life, ignores the press.
Scientific contribution
Main article: Poincaré's hypothesis
In 1994 he proved the hypothesis about the soul (differential geometry).
Grigory Perelman, in addition to his outstanding natural talent, being a representative of the Leningrad geometric school, at the beginning of his work on the Poincaré Problem had a broader scientific outlook than his foreign colleagues. In addition to other major mathematical innovations that made it possible to overcome all the difficulties faced by mathematicians dealing with this problem, Perelman developed and applied the purely Leningrad theory of Aleksandrov spaces for the analysis of Ricci flows. In 2002, Perelman first published his pioneering work devoted to solving one of the special cases of William Thurston's geometrization hypothesis, which implies the validity of the famous Poincaré hypothesis formulated by the French mathematician, physicist and philosopher Henri Poincaré in 1904. The method described by the scientist for studying the Ricci flow was named Hamilton - Perelman theory.
Recognition and evaluation
In 1996 he was awarded the prize of the European Mathematical Society for young mathematicians, but refused to receive it.
In 2006, Grigory Perelman was awarded the Fields Medal international prize for solving the Poincaré hypothesis (the official formulation at the award was “For his contribution to geometry and his revolutionary ideas in the study of the geometric and analytical structure of the Ricci flow”), but he also rejected it.
In 2006, Science called the Proof of Poincaré's Theorem Breakthrough of the Year. Breakthrough of the year). This is the first work in mathematics to deserve such a title.
In 2006, Sylvia Nazar and David Gruber published the article "Manifold Destiny", which talks about Grigory Perelman, his work on solving the Poincaré Problem, ethical principles in science and the mathematical community, and also contains a rare interview with himself. The article devotes considerable space to criticism of the Chinese mathematician Yau Shintan, who, together with his students, tried to challenge the completeness of the proof of the Poincaré Hypothesis proposed by Grigory Perelman. From an interview with Grigory Perelman:
In 2006, The New York Times published an article by Dennis Overbye “Scientist at Work: Shing-Tung Yau. The Emperor of Math ". The article is devoted to the biography of Professor Yau Shintan and the scandal associated with accusations against him in attempts to belittle Perelman's contribution to the proof of the Poincaré Hypothesis. The article cites an unheard-of fact in mathematics - Yau Shintan hired a law firm to defend his case and threatened to prosecute his critics.
In 2007, the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph published a list of "One Hundred Living Geniuses", in which Grigory Perelman ranks 9th. In addition to Perelman, only 2 Russians were included in this list - Garry Kasparov (25th place) and Mikhail Kalashnikov (83rd place).
In March 2010, the Clay Mathematical Institute awarded Grigory Perelman a US $ 1 million Proof of the Poincaré Conjecture Prize, the first ever Millennium Problem Award. In June 2010, Perelman ignored a mathematical conference in Paris, at which the Millennium Prize was supposed to be awarded for proving the Poincaré conjecture, and on July 1, 2010, he publicly announced his rejection of the prize, motivating it as follows:
Note that such a public assessment of the merits of Richard Hamilton by the mathematician who proved the Poincaré Hypothesis may be an example of nobility in science, since, according to Perelman himself, Hamilton, who collaborated with Yau Shintan, noticeably slowed down in his research, faced with insurmountable technical difficulties.
In September 2011, the Clay Institute, together with the Henri Poincaré Institute (Paris), established a position for young mathematicians, the money for which will go from the Millennium Prize awarded but not accepted by Grigory Perelman.
In 2011, Richard Hamilton and Demetrios Christodoul were awarded the so-called. Shao Prize in Mathematics of $ 1,000,000, also sometimes called the Nobel Prize of the East. Richard Hamilton was awarded for the creation of a mathematical theory, which was then developed by Grigory Perelman in his work on the proof of the Poincaré conjecture. It is known that Hamilton accepted this award.
Interesting Facts
- In his work "Formula of entropy for the Ricci flow and its geometric applications" (eng. The entropy formula for the Ricci flow and its geometric applications) Grigory Perelman humorously points out that his work was partially funded by personal savings saved during his visits to the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, State University of New York (SUNY), State University of New York at Stony Brook and the University of California in Berkeley, and thanks the organizers of these trips. At the same time, the official mathematical community allocated millions of grants to selected research groups in order to understand and test Perelman's work.
- When a member of the recruiting committee at Stanford University asked Perelman C.V. (summary), as well as letters of recommendation, Perelman objected:
- The Manifold Destiny article was noticed by the outstanding mathematician Vladimir Arnold, who suggested reprinting it in the Moscow journal Uspekhi Matematicheskikh Nauk, where he was a member of the editorial board. The editor-in-chief of the magazine, Sergei Novikov, refused him. According to Arnold, the refusal was due to the fact that the editor-in-chief of the magazine feared revenge from Yau, as he also worked in the United States.
- The biographical book of Masha Gessen tells about the fate of Perelman “Perfect rigor. Grigory Perelman: genius and the task of the millennium " based on numerous interviews with his teachers, classmates, co-workers and colleagues. Perelman's teacher Sergei Rukshin criticized the book.
- Grigory Perelman became the protagonist of the documentary film "The Charm of the Poincaré Hypothesis" directed by Masahito Kasugi, filmed by the Japanese public broadcaster NHK in 2008.
- In April 2010, the issue of the Khrushchob Millionaire talk show Let Them Talk was dedicated to Grigory Perelman. It was attended by friends of Grigory, his school teachers, as well as journalists who communicated with Perelman.
- In the 27th issue “ Big difference»On the First Channel a parody of Grigory Perelman was presented in the auditorium. The role of Perelman was simultaneously performed by 9 actors.
- It is a common misconception that the father of Grigory Yakovlevich Perelman is Yakov Isidorovich Perelman, a well-known popularizer of physics, mathematics and astronomy. However, Ya. I. Perelman died more than 20 years before the birth of Grigory Perelman.
- On April 28, 2011 "Komsomolskaya Pravda" reported that Perelman had given an interview to the executive producer of the Moscow film company "President-Film" Alexander Zabrovsky and agreed to shoot a feature film about him. Masha Gessen, however, doubts that these statements are true. Vladimir Gubailovsky also believes that the interview with Perelman is fictional.
The mathematician Perelman is a very famous person, despite the fact that he leads a secluded life and in every possible way avoids the press. His proof of the Poincaré hypothesis put him on a par with the greatest scientists in world history. The mathematician Perelman has turned down many awards from the scientific community. This man lives very modestly and is completely devoted to science. Of course, it is worth telling about him and his discovery in detail.
Father of Grigory Perelman
On June 13, 1966, Grigory Yakovlevich Perelman, a mathematician, was born. There are not many publicly available photos of him, but the most famous are presented in this article. He was born in Leningrad, the cultural capital of our country. His father was an electrical engineer. He had nothing to do with science, as many believe.
Yakov Perelman
It is widely believed that Gregory is the son of Yakov Perelman, a well-known popularizer of science. However, this is a delusion, because he died in besieged Leningrad in March 1942, so he could not be a father in any way.This man was born in Bialystok, a city that previously belonged to Russian Empire, and is now part of Poland. Yakov Isidorovich was born in 1882.
Yakov Perelman, which is very interesting, was also attracted by mathematics. In addition, he was fond of astronomy and physics. This man is considered the founder of entertaining science, as well as one of the first who wrote works in the genre of popular science literature. He is the creator of the book Living Mathematics. Perelman has written many other books as well. In addition, his bibliography includes over a thousand articles. With regard to a book such as Living Mathematics, Perelman presents in it various puzzles associated with this science. Many of them are designed as short stories. This book is intended primarily for teenagers.
In one respect, the book by Yakov Perelman ("Entertaining Mathematics") is also particularly interesting. Trillion - do you know what that number is? It's 10 21. For a long time in the USSR, there were two parallel scales - "short" and "long". According to Perelman, "short" was used in financial calculations and everyday life, and "long" - in scientific works devoted to physics and astronomy. So, a trillion on a "short" scale does not exist. 10 21 is called sextillion in it. These scales generally differ significantly.
However, we will not dwell on this in detail and proceed to the story of the contribution to science made by Grigory Yakovlevich, and not Yakov Isidorovich, whose achievements were less modest. By the way, it was not his famous namesake who instilled a love for science in Gregory.
Perelman's mother and her influence on Grigory Yakovlevich
The mother of the future scientist taught mathematics at vocational school. She was also a talented violinist. Probably, Grigory Yakovlevich took his love for mathematics, as well as for classical music from her. Both that and another equally attracted Perelman. When he was faced with the choice of where to enter - a conservatory or a technical university, he could not make up his mind for a long time. Who knows who Grigory Perelman could have become if he had decided to get a musical education.
The childhood of the future scientist
From a young age, Grigory was distinguished by his competent speech, both written and oral. He often amazed teachers at school with this. By the way, until the 9th grade, Perelman studied in a secondary school, apparently typical, of which there are so many on the outskirts. And then teachers from the Palace of Pioneers noticed a talented young man. He was taken to courses for gifted children. This contributed to the development of Perelman's unique talents.
Winning the Olympiad, graduating from school
From now on, the milestone of victories for Gregory begins. In 1982 he received it at the International Mathematical Olympiad held in Budapest. Perelman participated in it together with a team of Soviet schoolchildren. He received a full mark, having solved all problems flawlessly. Gregory graduated from the eleventh grade of the school in the same year. The very fact of participation in this prestigious Olympiad opened the doors of the best educational institutions of our country for him. But Grigory Perelman not only participated in it, but also received a gold medal.
It is not surprising that he was enrolled without exams at the Leningrad State University, at the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics. By the way, Strange as it may seem, Gregory did not receive a gold medal at school. This was prevented by a physical education grade. Passing sports standards at that time was mandatory for everyone, including those who could hardly imagine themselves at the jumping pole or at the barbell. In the rest of the subjects, he studied for fives.
Study at LSU
Over the next few years, the future scientist continued his education at Leningrad State University. He participated, and with great success, in a variety of mathematical competitions. Perelman even managed to get a prestigious Lenin scholarship. So he became the owner of 120 rubles - a lot of money at that time. He must have been doing well at the time.
It must be said that the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics of this university, which is now called St. Petersburg, was one of the best in Russia during the Soviet years. In 1924, for example, V. Leontiev graduated from it. Almost immediately after completing his studies, he received the Nobel Prize in Economics. This scientist is even called the father of the American economy. Leonid Kantorovich, the only national laureate of this prize, who received it for his contribution to this science, was a professor of mathematics.
Continuing education, life in the USA
After graduating from Leningrad State University, Grigory Perelman entered the Steklov Mathematical Institute to continue his postgraduate studies. He soon flew to the United States to represent this institution. This country has always been considered a state of unlimited freedom, especially in Soviet times among the inhabitants of our country. Many dreamed of seeing her, but the mathematician Perelman was not one of them. It seems that the temptations of the West have passed unnoticed for him. The scientist continued to lead a modest lifestyle, even a somewhat ascetic one. He ate sandwiches with cheese, washed down with kefir or milk. And of course the mathematician Perelman worked hard. In particular, he was involved in teaching. The scientist met with his fellow mathematicians. America bored him 6 years later.
Return to Russia
Gregory returned to Russia, to his native institute. Here he worked for 9 years. It was at this time, probably, that he began to understand that the road to "pure art" lies through isolation, isolation from society. Gregory decided to break off all his relations with colleagues. The scientist decided to lock himself in his Leningrad apartment and begin a grandiose work ...
Topology
It is not easy to explain what Perelman proved in mathematics. Only great lovers of this science can fully understand the significance of his discovery. We will try to explain in an accessible language about the hypothesis that Perelman brought out. Grigory Yakovlevich was attracted by topology. This is a branch of mathematics, often also called rubber sheet geometry. Topology is the study of geometric shapes that persist when a shape is bent, twisted, or stretched. In other words, if it is absolutely elastically deformed - without gluing, cuts and tears. Topology is very important for a discipline like mathematical physics. It gives an idea of the properties of space. In our case, we are talking about an infinite space that is continuously expanding, that is, about the Universe.
Poincaré's hypothesis
The great French physicist, mathematician and philosopher J.A. Poincaré was the first to hypothesize on this score. This happened at the beginning of the 20th century. But it should be noted that he made an assumption, and did not provide a proof. Perelman set himself the task of proving this hypothesis, deriving, after a whole century, a logically verified mathematical solution.
When talking about its essence, they usually start as follows. Take the rubber disc. It should be pulled over the ball. Thus, you have a two-dimensional sphere. It is necessary that at one point the circumference of the disc is collected. For example, you can do this with a backpack by pulling and tying a cord around it. It turns out a sphere. Of course, for us it is three-dimensional, but from the point of view of mathematics it will be two-dimensional.
Then, already figurative projections and reasoning begin, which are difficult for an unprepared person to understand. We should now imagine a three-dimensional sphere, that is, a ball stretched over something, which goes into another dimension. The three-dimensional sphere, according to the hypothesis, is the only existing three-dimensional object that can be pulled together by a hypothetical "hypercord" at one point. The proof of this theorem helps us understand what shape the universe has. In addition, thanks to it, one can reasonably assume that the Universe is such a three-dimensional sphere.
Poincaré's hypothesis and the Big Bang theory
It should be noted that this hypothesis is a confirmation of the Big Bang theory. If the universe is a single "figure" distinctive feature which is the ability to pull it down to one point, which means that it can be stretched in the same way. The question arises: if it is a sphere, what is outside the universe? Is a person who is a by-product related to planet Earth alone and not even to the cosmos as a whole capable of knowing this sacrament? Those who are interested can be invited to read the works of another world-famous mathematician - Stephen Hawking. However, he too cannot yet say anything concrete on this score. Let's hope that in the future another Perelman will appear and he will be able to solve this riddle, which torments the imagination of many. Who knows, maybe Grigory Yakovlevich himself will still be able to do this.
Nobel Prize in Mathematics
Perelman did not receive this prestigious award for his great achievement. Strange, isn't it? In fact, this can be explained very simply when you consider that such an award simply does not exist. A whole legend was created about the reasons why Nobel deprived the representatives of such an important science. To this day, no Nobel Prize in mathematics has been awarded. Perelman probably would have gotten it if it existed. There is a legend that the reason for Nobel's rejection of mathematicians is as follows: it was to the representative of this science that his bride left him. Whether it is true or not, but only with the onset of the 21st century, justice finally triumphed. It was then that another prize for mathematicians appeared. Let's briefly tell you about its history.
How did the Clay Institute Prize come about?
At a mathematical congress held in Paris in 1900, he proposed a list of 23 problems to be solved in the new, 20th century. To date, 21 of them have already been resolved. By the way, Yuri Matiyasevich, a graduate of the Leningrad State University Mathematics and Mechanics Department, completed solving 10 of these problems in 1970. At the beginning of the 21st century, the American Clay Institute compiled a similar list, consisting of seven problems in mathematics. They should have been solved already in the 21st century. A million dollar award was announced for each of them. Back in 1904, Poincaré formulated one of these problems. He hypothesized that all three-dimensional surfaces that are homotypically equivalent to a sphere are homeomorphic to it. Speaking in simple words, if a three-dimensional surface is somewhat similar to a sphere, then there is an opportunity to straighten it into a sphere. This statement of the scientist is sometimes called the formula of the universe because of its great importance in understanding complex physical processes, and also because the answer to it means solving the question of the shape of the universe. It should also be said that this discovery plays an important role in the development of nanotechnology.
So, the Clay Mathematical Institute decided to choose the 7 most difficult problems. For the solution of each of them, a million dollars were promised. And now Grigory Perelman appears with the discovery he made. The math prize goes to him, of course. He was noticed quite quickly, since since 2002 he has been publishing his developments on foreign Internet resources.
How Perelman won the Clay Prize
So, in March 2010, Perelman was awarded the well-deserved award. An award in mathematics meant receiving an impressive fortune, the amount of which was $ 1 million. Grigory Yakovlevich was supposed to receive it for the proof. However, in June 2010, the scientist ignored the mathematical conference held in Paris, at which the presentation of this award was to take place. On July 1, 2010, Perelman announced his refusal in public. Moreover, he did not take the money put to him, despite all the requests.
Why did the mathematician Perelman refuse the prize?
Grigory Yakovlevich explained this by the fact that his conscience does not allow him to receive a million, due to several other mathematicians. The scientist noted that he had many reasons both to take money and not to take it. For a long time he could not make up his mind. Grigory Perelman, a mathematician, named disagreement with the scientific community as the main reason for refusing the award. He noted that he considers his decisions to be unfair. Grigory Yakovlevich said that he believes that the contribution of Hamilton, a German mathematician, to the solution of this problem is no less than his.
By the way, a little later an anecdote on this topic even appeared: mathematicians need to allocate millions more often, perhaps someone will nevertheless decide to take them. A year after Perelman's rejection, Demetrios Christodoul and Richard Hamilton were awarded the Shaw Prize. The size of this math award is one million dollars. This prize is sometimes referred to as the Nobel Prize of the East. Hamilton received it for the creation of a mathematical theory. It was this idea that was later developed by the Russian mathematician Perelman in his works devoted to the proof of Poincaré's conjecture. Richard accepted this award.
Other awards refused by Grigory Perelman
By the way, in 1996 Grigory Yakovlevich was awarded the prestigious prize for young mathematicians from the European Mathematical Community. However, he refused to receive it.
Ten years later, in 2006, the scientist was awarded the Fields Medal for solving the Poincaré hypothesis. Grigory Yakovlevich refused her too.
Science magazine in 2006 called the proof of the hypothesis created by Poincaré the scientific breakthrough of the year. It should be noted that this is the first work in the field of mathematics that has earned such a title.
David Gruber and Sylvia Nazar published an article titled Manifold Destiny in 2006. It talks about Perelman, about his solution to the Poincaré problem. In addition, the article tells about the mathematical community and the ethical principles existing in science. It also contains a rare interview with Perelman. Much has been said about the criticism of Yau Shintan, a Chinese mathematician. Together with his students, he tried to challenge the completeness of the evidence presented by Grigory Yakovlevich. In an interview, Perelman noted: "Those who violate ethical standards in science are not considered outsiders. People like me are those who find themselves in isolation."
In September 2011, mathematician Perelman also refused membership in the Russian Academy of Sciences. His biography is presented in a book published in the same year. From it you can learn more about the fate of this mathematician, although the information collected is based on the testimony of third parties. Its author - The book was compiled on the basis of interviews with classmates, teachers, colleagues and colleagues of Perelman. Sergei Rukshin, the teacher of Grigory Yakovlevich, spoke critically about her.
Grigory Perelman today
And today he leads a secluded life. Mathematician Perelman ignores the press in every possible way. Where does he live? Until recently, Grigory Yakovlevich lived with his mother in Kupchino. And since 2014, the famous Russian mathematician Grigory Perelman has been in Sweden.
