Chinese Mathematicians Break a Century-Old Curse, Win World’s Top Maths Prize
In a historic moment for the global mathematics community, Chinese mathematicians Hong Wang and Yu Deng have broken a century-old curse, winning the world's top maths prize alongside John Pardon from the US and Jacob Tsimerman from Canada. The duo, who were awarded the Fields Medal on Thursday, has made waves on Chinese social media, with millions of views generated across various platforms.
Background
The Fields Medal, regarded as the Nobel prize equivalent for mathematics, is given every four years to outstanding mathematicians under the age of 40. This year's winners have solved problems that have baffled mathematicians for over a century. Hong Wang, 35, and Yu Deng, 37, have made significant contributions to the field, with Wang being only the third woman to receive the honour.
Wang's achievement is particularly noteworthy, given her background. Born in 1991 in the tourist city of Guilin in the southern region of Guangxi, she skipped two grades in primary school and was admitted to China's prestigious Peking University in 2007 at the age of 16. Although she initially majored in earth sciences, she transferred to the mathematics department a year later.
Deng, on the other hand, began taking part in mathematics competitions while in primary school and was admitted to Peking University in 2007 – the same year as Wang. He transferred to MIT in 2009 and earned his doctorate from Princeton University.
What This Means
The achievement of Wang and Deng has made waves on Chinese social media, with the hashtags "Fields Medal" and "First Chinese mathematicians to win Fields Medals" generating millions of views across various platforms. Chinese media has also extensively covered the two academics, with articles detailing their educational backgrounds and personal interests.
"For the Chinese mathematics community, this is a dream we have been hoping to realise for decades," said Shing-Tung Yau, the first ethnic Chinese Fields medallist. The achievement of Wang and Deng is seen as a significant milestone for the Chinese mathematics community, and their work is expected to inspire a new generation of mathematicians.
What Happens Next
The Fields Medal is awarded every four years, and the winners are chosen by the International Mathematical Union. The award ceremony took place on Thursday in the US, and the winners were presented with a prize of 15,000 Canadian dollars ($10,500; £8,000) each. Wang received a phone call from French President Emmanuel Macron, who congratulated her on receiving the medal and said, "She embodies the excellence of our research and our training. Choose France for science."
As the world celebrates the achievement of Wang and Deng, the mathematics community is eagerly awaiting their next move. Will they continue to push the boundaries of mathematics, or will they turn their attention to other fields? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – their achievement will inspire a new generation of mathematicians and pave the way for future breakthroughs.
The victory of Wang and Deng is a testament to the power of human ingenuity and determination. In an era where human computations are increasingly challenged by AI, their achievement serves as a reminder that there is still much to be discovered and explored in the world of mathematics. As the world continues to grapple with the implications of AI on human knowledge, the work of Wang and Deng offers a beacon of hope for the future of mathematics.
Source: Joy Online
