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Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

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Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#141

Post by WiSaGaN »

gavagai691 wrote: post #5

Two additional notes: 1. Zhang posted an attempt at solving this problem in 2007 that he later more or less admitted was flawed: https://mathoverflow.net/questions/131221/yitang-zhangs-2007... . But speaking with mathematicians who are intimately familiar with Zhang's previous work, there seems to be good reason to be optimistic nevertheless. First, the idea behind Zhang's proof is similar to the zero-repulsion ideas…

True. I am wondering whether this trend would make Fields Medal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fields_Medal), the most prestigious award in mathematics, to change its requirement of that recipients must be of age 40 or less.

Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#142

Post by ww520 »

fqye wrote: post #123

I first found out his story from new yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/02/02/pursuit-beauty when the issue came out. I almost busted in tears. I just wish he continue to enjoy mathematics, no matter if this paper is flawed or not.

It's a fantastic piece. New Yorker has some really in depth writing.

Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#143

Post by ahzhou »

mabbo wrote: post #9

I'm not a mathematician, but the story of Yitang Zhang desperately makes me want this paper to be correct. > Prior to getting back to academia, he worked for several years as an accountant and a delivery worker for a New York City restaurant. He also worked in a motel in Kentucky and in a Subway sandwich shop. A profile published in the Quanta Magazine reports that Zhang used to live in his car during the initial job…

While not common, I know of other Chinese diaspora in North America with similar stories.

Many graduates from post Cultural Revolution China left the country in 90's and found the language barrier (and accompanying discrimination) too high to overcome. The man delivering your fried rice might have a PhD.

Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#144

Post by vitiral »

jjgreen wrote: post #104
gradschoolfail wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Might come off as political, but Americans need need to throw off the yoke of British intellectual affectations, especially pre WWI ones.

Huh? Could you expand on this? Disclosure: a Brit who does not see Americans oppressed by compatriot affectations.

The structure of the modern education system is what Brittain designed to run an effective empire before any communication system existed. Every student made to operate independently as an arm of the British empire with standardized knowledge and skills, like cogs in an enormous beautiful machine.

Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#145

Post by dis-sys »

mrybczyn wrote: post #100
m_nyongesa wrote: post #49

As an older person currently working on a PhD, this guy was and is a something of a hero to me. He has an interesting life story. He was very into math at an early age, so he's different from people like me who got interested in it later in life, but he's also different in that his family was sent down to the countryside in China. I remember reading a lot about him a few years ago and relating to some of the professi…

He and his parents were victims of Mao's cultural revolution (like millions of others) - and he was forced into agricultural labour instead of attending high school. Amazing cinderella story. A real academic hero.

> like millions of others

Including Xi Jinping.

Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#146

Post by warbler73 »

gavagai691 wrote: post #13
whytai wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even more incredible is that his own advisor refused to write him letters of recommendation upon graduation [1] After graduation, Zhang had trouble finding an academic position. In a 2013 interview with Nautilus magazine, Zhang said he did not get a job after graduation. "During that period it was difficult to find a job in academics. That was a job market problem. Also, my advisor [Tzuong-Tsieng Moh] did not write m…

Yes, if you want to see something incredible (in both the literal sense and the usual sense), read https://www.math.purdue.edu/~ttm/ZhangYt.pdf (by Moh).

Wow thanks so much. That is indeed "incredible" on many levels.

Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#147

Post by eclarkso »

yding wrote: post #102
lordnacho wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For some 10 years, I had recommended 100 mainland Chinese students to the department and all accepted by the department. I am always indebt to the trust of my judgements by the department. Only very few of them misbehaved, bit the hands which fed them, none of them intended to murder their parents/friends , almost all of them performed well and became well-liked. No murderers, great success!

It's a reference to Brendt Christensen.

I doubt it, as the non-bolded portions were written in 2013, 4 years prior to the murder of Yingjing Zhang.

Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#148

Post by 149764 »

fnordpiglet wrote: post #53
kenjackson wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Someone needs to make a movie about his life, or at least a documentary.

Good luck finding a movie about Isaac Newton or Einstein, or literally anyone whose value to the world is more than pretending to be someone else or lying a lot, let alone a very interesting mathematician no one recognizes. (Ok I know there’s a few movies about folks like Turing and Nash, but it’s pretty slim pickings).

There is a tv show about Einstein, well, only the first season is about him.

Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#149

Post by [deleted] »

yding wrote: post #102
lordnacho wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> For some 10 years, I had recommended 100 mainland Chinese students to the department and all accepted by the department. I am always indebt to the trust of my judgements by the department. Only very few of them misbehaved, bit the hands which fed them, none of them intended to murder their parents/friends , almost all of them performed well and became well-liked. No murderers, great success!

It's a reference to Brendt Christensen.

[deleted]

Re: Monumental (if correct) advance in number theory posted to ArXiv by Yitang Zhang

#150

Post by bdhe »

robomartin wrote: post #140

Quoted post unavailable.

> It's the old "I'm from the government and I am here to help" joke.

What else is the government for? I understand it's a popular Reagan talking point but I don't really grok it.

If you assume the govt doesn't work for us, particularly if you're in politics, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

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