On November 11, 2002, an article from St. Petersburg appeared on one of the major scientific publication portals on the Internet. mathematician Grigory Perelman, in which he gave proof of the Poincaré conjecture. Thus, the hypothesis became the first solved problem of the millennium - the so-called mathematical questions, the answers to which have not been found for many years. Eight years later, the Clay Mathematics Institute awarded the scientist a prize of one million US dollars for this achievement, but Perelman refused it, saying that he did not need the money and, moreover, did not agree with the official mathematical community. The poor mathematician's refusal of a large sum caused surprise in all layers of society. For this and for his reclusive lifestyle, Perelman is called the strangest Russian scientist. the site found out how Grigory Perelman lives and what he does today.
Mathematician No. 1
Now Grigory Perelman is 51 years old. The scientist leads a secluded life: he practically never leaves home, does not give interviews, and is not officially employed anywhere. The mathematician never had close friends, but people who know Perelman claim that he was not always like this.“I remember Grisha as a teenager,” says Perelman’s housemate, Sergey Krasnov. - Although we live on different floors, we see each other sometimes. Previously, we could talk to his mother, Lyubov Leibovna, but now I rarely see her. She and Grigory periodically go out for a walk, but are always at home. When we see each other, they quickly nod and move on. They don't communicate with anyone. And in school years Grisha was no different from other boys. Of course, even then he was actively interested in science and spent a lot of time reading books, but he also found time for other things. I studied music, hung out with friends, and played sports. And then he sacrificed all his interests to mathematics. Was it worth it? Don't know".
Grigory always took first place in mathematics Olympiads, but one day victory eluded him: in the eighth grade at the All-Union Olympiad, Perelman became only second. Since then, he abandoned all his hobbies and recreation, immersing himself in books, reference books and encyclopedias. He soon caught up and became the #1 young mathematician in the country.
Reclusion
Krasnov states: none of the residents of their house doubted that Perelman would become a great scientist. “When we found out that Grisha proved the Poincaré conjecture, which no other person in the world could do, we were not even surprised,” the pensioner admits. - Of course, we were very happy for him, we decided: finally Grigory will make his way into the people, make a dizzying career! Well done, he deserves it! But he chose a different path for himself.”
Perelman refused a cash prize in the amount of a million dollars, justifying his decision by disagreement with the official mathematical community, while adding that he did not need the money.
After Perelman’s name thundered throughout the world, the mathematician was invited to the USA. In America, the scientist gave presentations, exchanged experience with foreign colleagues and explained his methods for solving mathematical problems. He quickly became bored with publicity. Returning to Russia, Perelman voluntarily left his post as a leading researcher at the laboratory of mathematical physics, resigned from the St. Petersburg branch of the Steklov Mathematical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and reduced his communication with colleagues to zero. A few years later they wanted to make Perelman a member Russian Academy sciences, but he refused. Having stopped almost all contacts with the outside world, the scientist locked himself in his apartment in Kupchino, on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, where he lives with his mother.
“Grisha was tortured by attention”
Nowadays, mathematicians very rarely leave home and spend whole days solving new problems. “Grisha and his mother live on Lyubov Leibovna’s pension,” says Krasnov. - We, the residents of the house, in no way condemn Grisha - they say, the man is in the prime of his life, but does not bring money to the family, does not help his old mother. There is no such. He is a genius, and geniuses cannot be condemned. Once they even wanted to chip in with the whole house to help them financially. But they refused - they said that they had enough. Lyubov Leibovna always said that Grisha is unpretentious: he wears jackets or boots for decades, and for lunch, macaroni and cheese is enough for him. Well, it’s not necessary, it’s not necessary.”According to neighbors, any person in Perelman’s place would become unsociable and closed: although the mathematician has not given rise to discussion for a long time, his person still cannot be ignored. “Some journalists are on duty at Perelman’s door 24 hours a day,” Sergei Petrovich is indignant. - Once they waited until Grisha and his mother were leaving the apartment for a walk. A huge cameraman literally dared Lyubov Leibovna to film the situation in their apartment - their apartment was not very tidy, and they decided to focus on this. And the young correspondent attacked Perelman himself with questions. They didn't go out for a long time after that. Everyone will be stressed here! Grisha was tormented with attention!”
Residents of the house are confident that Perelman will make a name for himself by making a new discovery in the field of mathematics. “His work will not be in vain,” says Krasnov. “You just need to leave him alone and let him live in peace.”
Yesterday, the intrigue surrounding the awarding of the Fields Medal, the mathematical equivalent of the Nobel Prize, ended. Among the four laureates are two Russians: Andrei Okunkov, who is now working in the United States, and St. Petersburg scientist Grigory Perelman, who is called a Russian genius in the West.
The awards were presented to the laureates by the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I. As predicted, Grigory Perelman did not appear at the ceremony. He did not react in any way to the message about the award and the invitation to receive it.
Four years ago, Perelman amazed the mathematical world by solving one of the seven “millennium problems” - the Poincaré conjecture, formulated by him at the beginning of the 20th century.
For the proof of each of the "magnificent seven" problems, the Mathematical Institute. Clay (USA) was awarded a million dollar prize. But the Russian, apparently, is not going to receive this award either.
Understanding the reason for refusing all kinds of awards to the general public is as difficult as getting some idea of the hypothesis proven by scientists. It concerns the geometry of multidimensional spaces and is the key to the field of topology.
This is a central problem in mathematics and physics, trying to understand what shape the universe might be, said renowned mathematician Marcus Du Sautoy of Oxford. - It is very difficult to get close to her, but the Russian mathematician achieved success.
Scientists comment differently on Perelman’s refusal to receive the prestigious award. So, the Oxford mathematics historian Jeremy Gray said: "I can't imagine him in a long limousine with four gorgeous women, waving a check in the air. That's not his style." And the mathematician Arthur Jaffe of Harvard said: "I think he is a very unusual person who does not want to be drawn into pomp and ceremony and idolatry. But he takes it to an extreme that can be considered mild madness."
The method that Perelman chose to make his evidence public was also unusual. Instead of publishing it in a reputable scientific journal, which, by the way, was a prerequisite for being awarded a million-dollar prize, Perelman posted his work on one of the Internet archives. Although the proof was only 61 pages long, it created a sensation in the scientific world. Mathematicians were looking forward to a more detailed solution, because the talented Russian only outlined the reference points on the way to it. But time passed, and Perelman remained silent, despite all the requests from the most authoritative scientific journals to respond. But others did not sleep. Chinese and American mathematicians actually did the work for him. The latest detailed solution is 473 pages long!
Grigory Perelman was born in 1966 in Leningrad. He graduated from physics and mathematics school No. 239, won many Olympiads. Classmates recall that in class he sat at the last desk and from there he sometimes explained to the teachers that this or that mathematical problem had a more economical and elegant solution than that proposed in the textbook. After graduating from school, he was enrolled in the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of Leningrad University without exams. He worked at the St. Petersburg Mathematical Institute named after. Steklova. At the end of the 80s he moved to the USA, where he lectured at several universities, then returned to his institute.
On January 1 of this year, Grigory Perelman resigned from the institute. Where did you go? None of my former colleagues know this. According to friends, the genius “went into the woods” to pick mushrooms near St. Petersburg.
They wanted to award the scientist a Fields medal, the highest award of the International Union of Mathematics. Since the Nobel Prize is not awarded to members of this union, this honor is considered the highest.
Brilliant discovery
In 2002, the Los Alamos Laboratory of Sciences website was enriched with a solution to the problem carried out by Gregory. When he refused the prize, the International Congress of Mathematics did not want to accept his decision until the very end and tried to convince the scientist. They said that there was no information about Perelman’s reluctance to receive the award, especially since there was no official information regarding the award at that time.
Award Nomination
When the laureates were finally announced, mathematician Grigory Perelman was among them, along with Andrei Okunov, who at that time was working in the USA. The recluse was not found among the scientists who came to the congress. We did not even receive a response from him to the letter informing us that he had been awarded the award. The conference guests were perplexed, as were the organizers. As it turned out later, the scientist stated his reluctance to receive money several months before the meeting.
What kind of person is this
Just as he disliked the attention of the general public before the nomination, so it was after the honours. When the strange event took place, little was known about it. Is it that the year of his birth was 1966, and the place was Leningrad. Parents were employees.
In the sixteenth year of his life he received at school and graduated educational institution. Already there he began to study his life's work in depth. 1982 was remembered for participation in the International Mathematics Olympiad, which was held among Soviet schools. This event opened Budapest for the boy. Then, without exams, he got into Leningrad State University at the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics.
Career
There were a number of other awards that Gregory ignored. The mathematical world wanted to give him recognition and respect, money. But all this was unnecessary for him. 1996 was marked by the refusal of the European Congress of Mathematics Prize. He also did not appear at the award ceremony.
They waited for him until the last minute
The congress was held in Spain. Many brilliant mathematicians came to the capital. Perelman was also supposed to arrive there. The Nobel Prize humbly awaited him along with respect, honor and a cash prize of a million dollars. However, they were not destined to fall into the hands of the scientist.
The conference members had heard a lot about the extravagance of the Russian mathematician and suspected that the option in which Perelman would refuse the Nobel Prize was not so similar to science fiction.
Gregory did not publish a proof of the theorem, which was so interesting to the scientific world. Specialized publications expected materials from him, but never received them. It is difficult to overestimate his contribution to science for those who understand why Perelman received the Nobel Prize. The brilliant discovery was followed by a dismissal, which surprised the Mathematical Institute. Steklova.
What happened to him next
Perelman rushed towards seclusion. The Nobel Prize and the money that comes with it have never been an end in itself for a scientist. He never came to Spain to collect his Fields medal, leaving many to wonder about the reasons for such a strange act.
Why did Perelman refuse the Nobel Prize? After all, his colleagues in science, all the scientists of that time, were ready to give him a standing ovation. Before him, many scientists puzzled over the solution to which he finally shed light. The discovery has made the work of more than one mathematician easier. Back in 1904, the world became acquainted with Poincaré's hypothesis, which led him into reverie for a century. There were many options for proof, but none could be recognized as correct, while the scientist got to the bottom of the truth and provided the scientific world with a reliable explanation.
Perelman never left people's thoughts. The Nobel Prize was rejected by him, so we need to at least understand the reason. American magazine The New Yorker, represented by its correspondents, interrupted Gregory's seclusion. His home at that moment was the outskirts of St. Petersburg, where the film crew came. They learned from the mathematician that Grigory Perelman refused the Nobel Prize due to personal reasons of principle.
Mathematician for a long time was a real mystery to the media. What could be so important and significant as to ward off the desire to get a million dollars and go to Madrid?
Perelman called his actions a protest. The Nobel Prize in his eyes spoils the morals of the modern mathematical world, as American journalists learned. Science must be based on honesty. For the sake of monetary reward, many are ready to commit deception and become charlatans. Then thinking people will care not about the result, but about money, and they will direct their mental potential to cunning, and not to discoveries.
It's better to be poor, but according to principles
At that moment, Grigory Perelman was unemployed. The Nobel Prize, of course, would have helped him financially and improved his life, but he decided that his previous savings were a sufficient standard for existence. His mother had to share her pension with him. She herself previously taught mathematics at school. Even if there was a desire, according to Gregory, he would not be able to get to Spain due to lack of funds for the trip.
The most prestigious mathematical prize was established in 1936. Perelman became the first to reject honors during this time. Except that Pasternak once refused the Nobel Prize for political reasons. The Fields medal can be received by a researcher who is under 40 years of age. That is, in the future, Gregory will no longer receive this award. He missed his only chance. His contribution to science can rightfully be called invaluable. Thanks to this, the development of mathematics took one significant step forward. Many modern studies have not gotten off the ground precisely because of the mystery of Poincaré's theorem. The idea of the physical and mathematical foundations of the universe has expanded and gained greater clarity. Perelman can be called one of the greatest scientists of the present and past. We all may have noticed that geniuses do have their own quirks.
Instructions
Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy, having learned that he had been nominated as a candidate for the Nobel Prize, on October 7, 1906, asked his friend the writer Arvid Jarnefelt to make sure that this prize was not awarded to him. The great classic of Russian literature believed that money is an absolute evil, and receiving the Nobel Prize could put him in a difficult position. That year, the Italian poet Giosué Carducci received the Nobel Prize.
German scientists Richard Kuhn, Adolf Butenandt and Gerhard Domagk were unable to receive the Nobel Prize due to Adolf Hitler's ban. In 1937, he banned German citizens from receiving this award. Hitler was outraged that the Nobel Prize was once awarded to an outspoken critic of Nazi theory, Karl von Ossietzky. German scientists received their well-deserved awards only after the end of World War II.
In 1958, the Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Boris Pasternak. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the USSR considered that the reason for such a high award was the novel Doctor Zhivago, banned in the USSR. Pasternak was subjected to real persecution. Insulting articles began to appear in the Soviet press, threats began to be made against the writer, and his beloved Olga Ivinskaya was even fired from her job. Under unprecedented pressure, Pasternak was forced to send a telegram refusing the prize to Stockholm. The Nobel Committee considered the writer’s refusal to be forced. The medal and diploma were later awarded to Pasternak's son.
Jean-Paul Sartre refused the Nobel Prize in defense of his beliefs. In a statement to reporters, he said that recently only Western writers have received awards. He regretted that the Nobel Prize was once awarded to Pasternak. And not Mikhail Sholokhov. He then declared to the whole world that the Nobel Committee is too politicized and does not award awards to those who really deserve them.
In 1970, the Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded to Alexander Solzhenitsyn. In the USSR, this news was received extremely negatively. Solzhenitsyn was simply not allowed to leave the country for the award ceremony. Alexander Isaevich received a diploma and a monetary reward in 1975, after he was expelled from the USSR.
In 1973, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to two people: US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and North Vietnamese Party Politburo member Le Duc Tho for their joint work to resolve the Vietnam conflict. Kissinger accepted the award, but Le Dac Tho did not. He said the Paris ceasefire agreement did not stop the war, so he had no right to receive the peace prize. The Vietnam War ended only in 1975 with the victory of North Vietnam.
According to the publication, the executive producer of the President Film company Alexander Zabrovsky managed to communicate with the brilliant scientist. He also received Perelman's consent to filming feature film The Formula of the Universe is about the scientist himself and about the knowledge of the Universe. Achieve this before personal meeting Not a single journalist succeeded with the St. Petersburg mathematician.
Alexander Zabrovsky, living in Israel, arrived in St. Petersburg, where he first contacted the Jewish community. Through her, the producer met Grigory Perelman's mother and helped her. And she persuaded her son to meet with Zabrovsky.
The conversation reportedly took place in the park opposite the Mariinsky Theater and lasted two hours. Grigory Perelman said that at one time he studied music and even wanted to enter the conservatory, but in the end he decided to become a mathematician. The scientist also explained why he refused the one million dollar prize awarded to him by the Clay Mathematical Institute for proving the Poincaré conjecture. "I learned to calculate voids, together with my colleagues we are learning the mechanisms of filling social and economic voids. Voids are everywhere. They can be calculated, and this gives great opportunities, Perelman said. – I know how to control the Universe. And tell me – why should I run for a million?!”
It should be noted that the interview contains a number of inaccuracies, as well as discrepancies with previously appeared information. For example, the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics of St. Petersburg University is called in the article not Mathematical Mechanics, but Mechanics and Mathematics (there are mechanical and mathematical faculties at Moscow State University and Novosibirsk State University). Perelman also incorrectly remembers the name of his own PhD thesis(Saddle surfaces in Euclidean geometry instead of Saddle surfaces in Euclidean spaces).
In addition, it was previously reported that Perelman refused the million dollars awarded to him by the Clay Institute because the institute did not recognize the merits of Richard Hamilton, who created the theory of Ricci flows in the 80s of the last century. It was Ricci flows that became the main tool that Perelman used in his work.
Let us recall that the hypothesis for which Perelman was awarded the American Institute was formulated by the French mathematician Henri Poincaré in 1904. In 2002, Perelman published a 30-page work on the Internet Archive, from which the proof of the hypothesis followed. However, he never published the results in a scientific journal.
In 2006, Perelman was awarded the Fields Medal, the most significant award for achievements in mathematics, also called the mathematical Nobel Prize, for his proof of the Poincaré conjecture. However, he is also from her.
Perelman worked in the USA for some time. Then in 1996 he returned to St. Petersburg, where he worked at the Steklov Mathematical Institute. The institute’s refusal to continue working with the scientist in 2004, according to his friends, led Perelman to a personal crisis and doubts about his own professionalism.
Despite the fact that over these few years the Russian has become one of the most famous mathematicians in the world, he continues to lead a reclusive lifestyle.
