Famous figures

Portraits of famous mathematicians, historical and contemporary

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Plausible conjectures… that turn out to be false!

We often assume that the only mistakes good mathematicians make are trivial slips caused by momentary inattention, such as errors in simple calculations. Yet some have put forward mathematical conjectures that proved false—sometimes spectacularly so.

Jacques BairDec 21, 2015

History and Culture

Maryam Mirzakhani

Maryam Mirzakhani's recognition in Seoul in 2014 was a landmark: for the first time, mathematics' most prestigious award went to a woman—an Iranian woman, no less. Can we explain her work on surfaces to our readers? This article attempts to rise to the challenge.

Jean-Claude PicaudFeb 2, 2015