Famous figures
Portraits of famous mathematicians, historical and contemporary
Some bold early attempts
Évariste Galois is known for his tragic fate, his trailblazing mathematical genius and his profound research in algebra. But before all that, he too was a high-school and university student. Some of Galois’s schoolwork has survived.
"I have no time"
Évariste Galois's name remains the symbol of precocious mathematical genius—misunderstood and tormented. Is he not sometimes called "the accursed mathematician" or "the Rimbaud of mathematics"? Retracing his all-too-short life allows us to place the young man in the context of his time.
Galois and the Restoration: historical context | Tangente
Évariste Galois's family was deeply committed to the gains of the Revolution. During the deeply reactionary Restoration, those values would bring tragedy upon the Galois family and leave Évariste with a lifelong scar.
“An iconic figure!”
Historian of science Caroline Ehrhardt shares her expert perspective on the life of Évariste Galois with Tangente. She casts a keen eye over the legacy—both mathematical and symbolic—of this young prodigy, who became a true mathematical “icon” long after his death.
Writings on Galois: biographies and key sources | Tangente
For readers interested in Évariste Galois's life and history, here is a short, non-exhaustive list of publications and references in French.
Galois as a character in fiction | Tangente
Several novels and fictionalized biographies have been written about Évariste Galois. Even if we consider only works published in French, the list is already substantial.
Editorial
Évariste Galois is one of the best-known mathematicians—and also one of the least understood.
Cauchy, a forgotten pioneer
Because Augustin-Louis Cauchy did not take a direct interest in solving algebraic equations, he is an overlooked figure in the history of group theory. Yet his research on permutations provided valuable tools for those who worked on Galois theory.
Before Abel and Galois
Until the end of the 18th century, algebra was essentially about solving algebraic equations. That chapter in the history of algebra closed with the work of Abel and Galois. Before them, what questions occupied mathematicians? What problems could they hope to solve?
Proving without saying a word
No drawing or diagram can ever replace a "proper" proof, but both can help make a proof self-evident. In this respect, proofs without words, so beloved of mathematicians, are a fine exercise in style. Some have become classics of the genre.
Jean-Pierre Demailly (1957–2022) | Tangente
We were saddened to learn that mathematician Jean-Pierre Demailly died on March 17.
Dennis Sullivan wins the 2022 Abel Prize | Tangente
The Abel Prize, one of mathematics' most prestigious honors alongside the Fields Medal, has just been awarded to American mathematician Dennis Parnell Sullivan (born in 1941).
Dramatic twists! | Tangente
Mathematics and theatre—together? But to what end? What is at stake, what makes such a partnership work, and what does it require? The editors of Tangente put these questions to four enthusiasts who dared to take the plunge.
Balls in the plane
A spherical ball is the set of points whose distance from a center is less than a constant. Mathematicians, always seeking to generalize, accept this definition of a ball… in any space equipped with any kind of "distance."
Maths on stage | Tangente
Over the past thirty years, forms of theatre have emerged that allow mathematics to be discussed, brought to life and shared. Artists and mathematicians, actors and directors alike have realised that there is a large and eager audience for such creations.
A modern theory with ancient roots | Tangente
It was during the twentieth century that convexity emerged as a mathematical discipline in its own right. Before then, eminent mathematicians had occasionally glimpsed the potential value of this notion in geometry and analysis.
Erdős number: distance between mathematicians | Tangente
Have you heard of the Erdős number, which measures how "close" a researcher is to Hungary's most famous mathematician through successive collaborations?
The evolution problem in general relativity
Einstein's equations of general relativity have returned to the spotlight in recent years. Progress has been made on the stability of Minkowski space and on the still-elusive cosmic censorship conjecture, formulated by 2020 Nobel laureate in physics Roger Penrose...
Tangente Awards 2021: the winners | Tangente
As it does every year, the Tangente Awards ceremony was a highlight in the promotion of mathematics and the role literature plays in it. After the 2020 event was held remotely, the 2021 ceremony took place in person on December 16 at the Musée des Arts et Métiers. Meet the award-winning works and their authors.
Algebra mourns: Jacques Tits has passed away | Tangente
Belgian-born French mathematician Jacques Tits (1930–2021) passed away in early December.