Where does Perelman live? Russian mathematician Grigory Yakovlevich Perelman, who proved the Poincaré conjecture: biography, personal life, interesting facts

Mathematician Grigory Perelman is a genius of our time who proved Poincaré's theorem. Having refused a million-dollar bonus, he continues to lead a reclusive life. “Interlocutor+” tried to find out what the most powerful brain of our time is doing now.

The story of a hypothesis

Jules Henri Poincaré, a French mathematician and head of the Paris Academy of Sciences, formulated the idea of a deformed three-dimensional sphere in 1904. He did this in the form of a small marginal note that he wrote at the end of an article on an entirely different subject. Mathematicians around the world struggled to prove the Poincaré conjecture until 2002, when Grigory Perelman published the results of his work. In 2003, the scientist made a scientific tour with lectures.

The proof was posted on the Internet

In the residential area of St. Petersburg, Kupchino, journalists repeatedly raided Perelman... with varying degrees of success. The scientist categorically does not communicate with the press. The 52-year-old mathematician lives in a nondescript apartment with his elderly mother, Lyubov Leibovna, and rarely leaves the house.

The world learned about him and started talking about him in 2002, when Perelman published three articles in which he solved one of the “problems of the millennium” - he proved the Poincaré theorem. The mathematician did not publish it in scientific journals, but simply posted it on the Internet. The scientist’s extravagant act became a reason for speculation; some mathematicians decided to take credit for the proof of the theorem. In 2006, the European Mathematical Society awarded Perelman a million-dollar prize, but, to everyone's surprise, he refused the money.

“You know, I had a lot of reasons in both directions. That's why it took me so long to decide. In short, the main reason is disagreement with the organized mathematical community. I don't like their decisions, I think they are unfair. I believe that the contribution of the American mathematician Hamilton to solving this problem is no less than mine,” he said.

The reason for his rebellion (how can one refuse such a sum!) is still not understood. But Perelman is decidedly parallel.

Scientists were offended by Perelman because he refused awards // caricature: Bob Row

School teachers pondered his answers

Perelman was born into a family with a “mathematical bent”: his father, an engineer, entertained the child by playing chess, his mother, a mathematics teacher at a vocational school, entertained him with mathematical problems. The Jewish boy also played the violin.

His class teacher at school No. 282, Valentina Berdova, recalls that Grigory did not study in the first grade, but was immediately accepted into the second. He was always different from other children; teachers even then saw in him a child prodigy and a future genius.

He always spoke little, but he certainly didn’t use unnecessary words,” recalls Valentina Vasilievna. “We teachers sometimes needed time to think about what he said: he thought completely differently.” It happens that you get tired, say something wrong, make a mistake, so Grigory will correct you very politely, correctly - either during the lesson, or come up after the lesson.

This distinctive property of Perelman - having his own ethical principles and strictly observing them - is also mentioned by his other acquaintances. His classmate recalled how one day they were traveling on the subway: it was unbearably hot, Grigory was dressed warmly, wearing a hat, but categorically did not want to take it off. It turned out that Grisha promised his mother that he would not take off his hat on the subway so as not to catch a cold. Despite the persuasion of his friends from the “mother won’t know” series and the sweat appearing on his forehead, the boy kept his word.

Valentina Berdova says that Perelman’s character was already complex even then: “but who has it easy and simple?” However, this did not stop him from making friends with classmates and participating in extracurricular activities.

“He didn’t single out any of the guys,” she says. - He treated everyone equally well, warmly and respectfully.

School No. 282 was an incomplete secondary school, from which Perelman, after the 8th grade, went to Physics and Mathematics No. 239, where he continued to take prizes in Olympiads. The loudest was the victory at the International Mathematical Olympiad in Budapest, where in 1982 he received a gold medal as part of a team of Soviet schoolchildren.

Perelman entered Leningrad University without exams, and after graduation and graduate school he worked as a senior researcher at the Mathematical Institute. V. A. Steklov, devoting himself to solving the Poincaré theorem. It took him... 6 years to prove the hypothesis, which the best minds had been struggling with for a century!

Goes to concerts

Now Perelman does not work at the Mathematical Institute. What he does is a secret, at least to the public. News from his life periodically appears in the media. But people who know him call them fake.

Journalists put together interviews from scraps of previous statements and, when they want to increase circulation, they come up with news: either Perelman plugs a broken pipe with a newspaper, or something else, says Sergei Rukshin, Perelman’s former scientific adviser. He is one of the few who maintains contact with the mathematician.

When employees of one TV channel staged a provocation and entered the scientist’s apartment with a camera, the whole country learned that the man who refused a million dollars lived extremely modestly, almost like a beggar. The same is true of photographs of Perelman in old, worn-out clothes that the paparazzi take on the street.

According to rumors, Perelman, who after leaving the institute lived on his mother’s pension, began to work. But Sergei Rukshin did not confirm this news to us: “I know nothing about this.” But he said that Perelman still loves to attend classical music concerts. Perelman, who gives lectures in Sweden, also seems to be from the category of newspaper ducks. His sister actually lives there, also a mathematician, but to work in Sweden you need a work visa. So the solution and the answer do not agree. In addition, it is known that Grigory Yakovlevich is a caring son.

“I heard that his mother was recently in the hospital,” says Valentina Berdova. - Is this really so - I don’t know, I’m with him Lately talked to me a couple of times. Lastly, regarding the television program. Grigory asked me not to go to the shooting, and if I go, then to talk about him as little as possible.

It is not even known whether Grigory Perelman studies mathematics. After proving the theorem, he declared that science was no longer interesting to him. Perelman decided - Perelman did?

The material was published in the Sobesednik+ publication No. 03-2019 under the title “Perelman’s Muse.”

« Millennium Challenge", solved by a Russian mathematical genius, has to do with the origin of the Universe. Not every mathematician can understand the essence of the riddle...

MIND GAME

Until recently, mathematics did not promise either fame or wealth to its “priests”. They even Nobel Prize They didn’t give it. There is no such nomination. After all, according to a very popular legend, Nobel’s wife once cheated on him with a mathematician. And in retaliation, the rich man deprived all their crooked brethren of his respect and prize money.

The situation changed in 2000. The private mathematical Clay Mathematics Institute selected seven of the most difficult problems and promised to pay a million dollars for solving each one.

They looked at the mathematicians with respect. In 2001, the film “A Beautiful Mind” was even released, the main character of which was a mathematician.

Now only people far from civilization are not aware: one of the promised millions - the very first - has already been awarded. The prize was awarded to a Russian citizen, a resident of St. Petersburg Grigory Perelman. He proved the Poincaré conjecture, a puzzle that had eluded anyone for more than 100 years and which, through his efforts, became a theorem.

Our cute 44-year-old bearded man has rubbed his nose in the eyes of the whole world. And now it continues to keep it - the world - in suspense. Since it is unknown whether the mathematician will take the honestly deserved million dollars or refuse. The progressive public in many countries is naturally worried. At least newspapers on all continents chronicle the financial and mathematical intrigue.

And against the backdrop of these exciting activities- fortune telling and dividing other people's money - somehow the meaning of Perelman's achievement was lost. The President of the Clay Institute, Jim Carlson, of course, stated at one time that the purpose of the prize fund was not so much a search for answers as an attempt to increase the prestige of mathematical science and to interest young people in it. But still, what is the point?

Grisha in his youth - even then he was a genius.

POINCARE HYPOTHESIS - WHAT IS IT?

The riddle solved by the Russian genius touches on the basics of a branch of mathematics called topology. Its topology is often called “rubber sheet geometry.” It deals with the properties of geometric shapes that are preserved if the shape is stretched, twisted, or bent. In other words, it is deformed without tears, cuts or gluing.

Topology is important to mathematical physics because it allows us to understand the properties of space. Or evaluate it without being able to look at the shape of this space from the outside. For example, to our Universe.

When explaining the Poincaré conjecture, they begin like this: imagine a two-dimensional sphere - take a rubber disk and pull it over the ball. So that the circumference of the disk is collected at one point. In a similar way, for example, you can tie a sports backpack with a cord. The result is a sphere: for us - three-dimensional, but from the point of view of mathematics - only two-dimensional.

Then they offer to pull the same disk onto a donut. It seems like it will work out. But the edges of the disk will converge into a circle, which can no longer be pulled to a point - it will cut the donut.

As another Russian mathematician, Vladimir Uspensky, wrote in his popular book, “unlike two-dimensional spheres, three-dimensional spheres are inaccessible to our direct observation, and it is as difficult for us to imagine them as it was for Vasily Ivanovich to imagine the square trinomial from the famous joke.”

So, according to the Poincaré hypothesis, a three-dimensional sphere is the only three-dimensional thing whose surface can be pulled to one point by some hypothetical “hypercord”.

Grigory Perelman: - Just think, Newton's binomial...

Jules Henri Poincaré suggested this in 1904. Now Perelman has convinced everyone who understands that the French topologist was right. And turned his hypothesis into a theorem.

The proof helps to understand what shape our Universe has. And it allows us to very reasonably assume that it is that same three-dimensional sphere.

But if the Universe is the only “figure” that can be contracted to a point, then, probably, it can be stretched from a point. This serves as an indirect confirmation of the Big Bang theory, which states that the Universe originated from a point.

It turns out that Perelman, together with Poincaré, upset the so-called creationists - supporters of the divine beginning of the universe. And they shed grist to the mill of materialist physicists.

The brilliant mathematician from St. Petersburg Grigory Perelman, who became famous throughout the world for proving the Poincaré conjecture, finally explained his refusal of the million-dollar prize awarded for this. As stated by " TVNZ", the reclusive scientist revealed himself in a conversation with a journalist and producer of the film company "President Film", which, with Perelman's consent, will shoot the feature film "Formula of the Universe" about him.

Alexander Zabrovsky was lucky enough to communicate with the great mathematician - he left Moscow for Israel several years ago and guessed to first contact Grigory Yakovlevich’s mother through the Jewish community of St. Petersburg, providing her with help. She talked to her son, and after her good characterization, he agreed to a meeting. This can truly be called an achievement - the journalists were not able to “catch” the scientist, although they sat at his entrance for days.

As Zabrovsky told the newspaper, Perelman gave the impression of being “absolutely sane, healthy, adequate and normal person": "Realistic, pragmatic and sensible, but not without sentimentality and passion... Everything that was attributed to him in the press that he was “out of his mind” is complete nonsense! He knows exactly what he wants and knows how to get it done."

The film, for which the mathematician made contact and agreed to help, will not be about himself, but about the cooperation and confrontation of the three main world mathematical schools: Russian, Chinese and American, which are the most advanced in the path of studying and managing the Universe.

When asked why Perelman refused the million, he replied:

“I know how to control the Universe. And tell me, why should I run for a million?”

The scientist is offended by what he is called in the Russian press

Perelman explained that he does not communicate with journalists because they are not interested in science, but in matters of a personal and everyday nature - from the reasons for refusing a million to the question of cutting hair and nails.

He doesn’t want to contact the Russian media specifically because of the disrespectful attitude towards him. For example, in the press they call him Grisha, and such familiarity offends him.

Grigory Perelman said that since his school years he was accustomed to what is called “training the brain.” Recalling how, as a “delegate” from the USSR, he received a gold medal at the Mathematical Olympiad in Budapest, he said: “We tried to solve problems where the ability to think abstractly was a prerequisite.

This distraction from mathematical logic was the main point of daily training. To find the right solution, it was necessary to imagine a “piece of the world.”

As an example of such a “difficult to solve” problem, he gave the following: “Remember the biblical legend about how Jesus Christ walked on water as well as on dry land. So I needed to calculate how fast he had to move through the waters so as not to fall through.” .

Since then, Perelman has devoted all his activities to the study of the problem of studying the properties of the three-dimensional space of the Universe: “This is very interesting. I am trying to embrace the immensity. But any immensity is also embraceable,” he argues.

The scientist wrote his dissertation under the guidance of Academician Alexandrov. “The topic was not difficult: “Saddle-shaped surfaces in Euclidean geometry.” Can you imagine surfaces of equal size and unevenly spaced from each other at infinity? We need to measure the “hollows” between them,” the mathematician explained.

What does Perelman’s discovery mean, frightening the world’s intelligence services?

Poincaré's statement is called the “formula of the Universe” because of its importance in the study of complex physical processes in the theory of the universe and because it provides an answer to the question of the shape of the Universe. This evidence will play a big role in the development of nanotechnology."

“I learned to calculate voids, together with my colleagues we are learning the mechanisms of filling social and economic “voids,” he said. “Voids are everywhere. They can be calculated, and this provides great opportunities ...

As the publication writes, the scale of what Grigory Yakovlevich discovered, actually moving ahead of today's world science, made him an object of constant interest for intelligence services, not only Russian, but also foreign.

He acquired some super-knowledge that helps him understand the universe. And here questions of this kind arise: “What will happen if his knowledge finds practical implementation?”

Essentially, the intelligence services need to know whether Perelman, or more precisely, his knowledge, poses a threat to humanity? After all, if with the help of his knowledge it is possible to collapse the Universe into a point and then expand it, then we can die or be reborn in a different capacity? And then will it be us? And do we even need to control the Universe?

AND AT THIS TIME

Mom of a genius: “Don’t ask us questions about money!”

When it became known that the mathematician had been awarded the Millennium Prize, a crowd of journalists gathered in front of his door. Everyone wanted to personally congratulate Perelman and find out whether he would take his rightful million.

We knocked on the flimsy door for a long time (if only we could replace it with bonus money), but the mathematician did not open it. But his mother quite clearly dotted the i’s right from the hallway.

We don’t want to talk to anyone and we’re not going to give any interviews,” Lyubov Leibovna shouted. - And don’t ask us questions about this bonus and money.

People living in the same entrance were very surprised to see the sudden interest in Perelman.

Has our Grisha really gotten married? - one of the neighbors grinned. - Oh, I received a prize. Again. No, he won't take it. He doesn’t need anything at all, he lives on pennies, but he’s happy in his own way.

They say that the day before the mathematician was seen with full bags of groceries from the store. I was preparing to “hold the siege” with my mother. The last time there was a fuss about the award in the press, Perelman didn’t leave his apartment for three weeks.

BY THE WAY

Why else would they give a million dollars...

In 1998, with funds from billionaire Landon T. Clay, the Clay Mathematics Institute was founded in Cambridge (USA) to popularize mathematics. On May 24, 2000, the institute's experts selected the seven most, in their opinion, puzzling problems. And they assigned a million dollars for each.

1. Cook's problem

It is necessary to determine whether checking the correctness of a solution to a problem can take longer than obtaining the solution itself. This logic problem important for specialists in cryptography - data encryption.

2. Riemann hypothesis

There are so-called prime numbers, such as 2, 3, 5, 7, etc., which are only divisible by themselves. It is not known how many there are in total. Riemann believed that this could be determined and a pattern of their distribution could be found. Whoever finds it will also provide cryptography services.

3. Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer conjecture

The problem involves solving equations with three unknowns raised to powers. You need to figure out how to solve them, regardless of complexity.

4. Hodge conjecture

In the twentieth century, mathematicians discovered a method for studying the shape of complex objects. The idea is to use simple “bricks” instead of the object itself, which are glued together and form its likeness. It is necessary to prove that this is always permissible.

5. Navier - Stokes equations

It’s worth remembering them on the plane. The equations describe the air currents that keep it in the air. Now equations are solved approximately, using approximate formulas. We need to find the exact ones and prove that in three-dimensional space there is a solution to the equations that is always true.

6. Yang - Mills equations

There is a hypothesis in the world of physics: if an elementary particle has mass, then there is a lower limit to it. But which one is not clear. We need to get to him. This is perhaps the most difficult task. To solve it, it is necessary to create a “theory of everything” - equations that unite all forces and interactions in nature. Anyone who can do it will probably receive a Nobel Prize.

The history of mankind knows many people who, thanks to their outstanding abilities, became famous. However, it is worth saying that rarely did any of them manage to become a real legend during their lifetime and achieve fame not only in the form of placing portraits in school textbooks. Few celebrities have reached such a height of fame, which was confirmed by the conversations of both the global scientific community and the grandmothers sitting on the bench at the entrance.

But in Russia there is such a person. And he lives in our time. This is mathematician Grigory Yakovlevich Perelman. The main achievement of this great Russian scientist was the proof of the Poincaré conjecture.

Even any ordinary Spaniard knows that Grigory Perelman is the most famous mathematician in the world. After all, this scientist refused to receive the Fields Prize, which was supposed to be presented to him by the King of Spain himself. And, without any doubt, only the greatest people are capable of this.

Family

Grigory Perelman was born on June 13, 1966 in the northern capital of Russia - the city of Leningrad. The father of the future genius was an engineer. In 1993, he left his family and emigrated to Israel.

Gregory's mother, Lyubov Leibovna, worked as a mathematics teacher at a vocational school. She, playing the violin, instilled in her son a love of classical music.

Grigory Perelman was not the only child in the family. He has a sister who is 10 years younger than him. Her name is Elena. She is also a mathematician; she graduated from St. Petersburg University (in 1998). In 2003, Elena Perelman defended her dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Reizmann Institute in Rehovot. Since 2007 she has lived in Stockholm, where she works as a programmer.

School years

Grigory Perelman, whose biography has developed such that today he is the most famous mathematician in the world, was a shy and quiet Jewish boy as a child. However, despite this, he was significantly superior to his peers in knowledge. And this allowed him to communicate with adults almost on equal terms. His peers were still playing in the yard and making sand cakes, but Grisha was already fully grasping the basics of mathematical science. The books that were in the family library allowed him to do this. The mother of the future scientist, who was simply in love with this woman, also contributed to the acquisition of knowledge. exact science. Also, the future Russian mathematician Grigory Perelman was passionate about history and played excellent chess, which his father taught him.

No one forced the boy to sit over textbooks. Grigory Perelman's parents never tormented their son with moral teachings that knowledge is power. He discovered the world of science completely naturally and without any strain. And this was entirely facilitated by the family, whose main cult was not money at all, but knowledge. Parents never scolded Grisha for a lost button or dirty sleeve. However, it was considered shameful, for example, to fake a melody on the violin.

The future mathematician Perelman went to school at the age of six. By this age he was thoroughly knowledgeable in all subjects. Grisha easily wrote, read and performed mathematical operations using three-digit numbers. And this was the time when his classmates were just learning to count to one hundred.

At school, the future mathematician Perelman was one of the strongest students. He repeatedly became the winner of All-Russian mathematical competitions. Until the 9th grade, the future Russian scientist attended high school, located on the outskirts of Leningrad, where his family lived. Then he moved to school 239. She had a physics and mathematics background. In addition, from the fifth grade, Gregory attended the mathematics center opened at the Palace of Pioneers. Classes here were conducted under the guidance of Sergei Rukshin, an associate professor at the Russian State Pedagogical University. The students of this mathematician constantly won awards at various mathematical Olympiads.

In 1982, Grigory, as part of a team of Soviet schoolchildren, defended the honor of the country at the International Mathematical Olympiad, held in Hungary. Our guys then took first place. And Perelman, who dialed maximum amount possible points, received a gold medal for the impeccable completion of all tasks proposed at the Olympiad. Today we can say that this was the last award that he accepted for his work.

It would seem that Gregory, an excellent student in all subjects, without any doubt, should have graduated from school with a gold medal. However, he was let down by physical education, for which he could not pass the required standard. The class teacher had to simply beg the teacher to give the boy a B on his certificate. Yes, Grisha did not like sports activities. However, he had absolutely no complexes about this. Physical education simply did not interest him as much as other disciplines. He always said that he was convinced that our body needs training, but at the same time he preferred to train not our arms and legs, but our brain.

Relationships in the team

At school, the future mathematician Perelman was a favorite. Not only his teachers, but also his classmates sympathized with him. Grisha was not a crammer or a nerd. He did not allow himself to show off the knowledge he had acquired, the depth of which sometimes confused even his teachers. He was simply a talented child, interested not only in proving complex theorems, but also in classical music. Girls appreciated their classmate for his eccentricity and intelligence, and boys for his strong and calm character. Grisha not only studied with ease. He also helped his lagging classmates in mastering knowledge.

IN Soviet times Each poor student was assigned a strong student who helped him improve in some subject. The same order was given to Gregory. He had to help a classmate who was absolutely not interested in studying. Less than two months of classes had passed before Grisha turned a poor student into a solid student. And this is not surprising. After all, presenting complex material at an accessible level is one of the unique abilities of the famous Russian mathematician. Largely thanks to this quality, Poincaré’s theorem was proved in the future by Gregory Perelman.

Student years

After successfully graduating from school, Grigory Perelman became a student at Leningradsky state university. Without any exams, he was enrolled in the Faculty of Mathematics and Mechanics of this higher educational institution.

Perelman did not lose his interest in mathematics even in student years. He constantly became the winner of university, city, and all-Union Olympiads. The future Russian mathematician studied as successfully as at school. For his excellent knowledge he was awarded the Lenin Scholarship.

Further training

After graduating with honors from the university, Grigory Perelman entered graduate school. His scientific supervisor in those years was the famous mathematician A.D. Alexandrov.

The graduate school was located at the Leningrad branch of the Institute of Mathematics named after. V.A. Steklova. In 1992, Grigory Yakovlevich defended his Ph.D. thesis. The topic of his work concerned saddle surfaces in Euclidean spaces. Later, Perelman remained to work at the same institute, taking the position of senior researcher in the laboratory of mathematical physics. During this period, he continued to study the theory of space and was able to prove several hypotheses.

Work in the USA

In 1992, Grigory Perelman was invited to Stony Brook University and New York University. These educational establishments America invited the scientist to spend one semester there.

In 1993, Grigory Yakovlevich continued to teach at Berkeley, while simultaneously leading there scientific work. It was at this time that Grigory Perelman became interested in Poincaré's theorem. This was the most complex problem in modern mathematics that had not been solved at that time.

Return to Russia

In 1996, Grigory Yakovlevich returned back to St. Petersburg. He again received a position as a researcher at the Institute. Steklova. At the same time, he worked alone on the Poincaré conjecture.

Description of the theory

The problem arose in 1904. It was then that the French scientist Andry Poincaré, who was considered a mathematical universalist in scientific circles due to the development of new methods of celestial mechanics and the creation of topology, put forward a new mathematical hypothesis. He suggested that the space around us is a three-dimensional sphere.

It is quite difficult to describe the essence of the hypothesis for the common man. There is too much science in it. As an example, one can imagine the usual balloon. In the circus, a wide variety of figures can be made from it. These can be dogs, bunnies and flowers. So what's the result? The ball remains the same. He doesn't change his physical properties, nor molecular composition.

The same is true with this hypothesis. Her topic relates to topology. This is a branch of geometry that studies the diversity that spatial objects have. Topology examines various objects that are outwardly dissimilar to each other and finds common features in them.

Poincaré tried to prove the fact that our Universe has the shape of a sphere. According to his theory, all simply connected three-dimensional manifolds have the same structure. They are simply connected due to the presence of a single continuous area body in which there are no through holes. It could be a piece of paper and a glass, a rope and an apple. But a colander and a cup with a handle are completely different objects in their essence.

The concept of geomorphism follows from topology. It includes the concept of geomorphic objects, that is, those when one can be obtained from another by stretching or compressing. For example, a ball (a piece of clay) from which a potter makes an ordinary pot. And if the master doesn’t like the product, he can immediately turn it back into a ball. If the potter decides to make a cup, then the handle for it will have to be made separately. That is, he creates his object in a different way, obtaining not a solid, but a composite product.

Let us assume that all objects in our world consist of an elastic, but at the same time non-sticky substance. This material does not allow us to glue individual parts and seal holes. It can only be used to squeeze or squeeze. Only in this case will a new form be obtained.

This is the main meaning of the Poincaré conjecture. It says that if you take any three-dimensional object that does not have holes, then, when performing various manipulations, but without gluing and cutting, it can take the shape of a ball.

However, a hypothesis is only a stated version. And this continues until an exact explanation is found. Poincaré's assumptions remained as such until they were confirmed by the precise calculations of the young Russian mathematician.

Working on the problem

Grigory Perelman spent several years of his life proving the Poincaré conjecture. All this time he thought only about his work. He was constantly looking for the right ways and approaches to solving the problem and realized that the proof was somewhere nearby. And the mathematician was not mistaken.

Even during his student years, the future scientist often liked to repeat the phrase that there are no unsolvable problems. There are only intractable ones. He always believed that everything depended only on the initial data and the time spent searching for the missing ones.

During his stay in America, Grigory Yakovlevich often attended various events. Perelman was especially interested in lectures led by mathematician Richard Hamilton. This scientist also tried to prove the Poincaré conjecture. Hamilton even developed his own method of Ricci flows, which, rather, belonged not to mathematics, but to physics. However, all this interested Grigory Yakovlevich very much.

After returning to Russia, Perelman literally plunged headlong into working on the problem. And after a short period of time, he managed to make significant progress in this matter. He approached the solution of the problem in a completely unconventional way. He used Ricci flows as a proof tool.

Perelman sent his calculations to his American colleague. However, he did not even try to delve into the young scientist’s calculations and flatly refused to carry out joint work.

Of course, his doubts can be easily explained. After all, when giving evidence, Perelman relied more on the postulates available in theoretical physics. He solved the topological geometric problem with the help of related sciences. This method was completely incomprehensible at first glance. Hamilton did not understand the calculations and was skeptical about the unexpected symbiosis that was used as evidence.

He did what was interesting to him

In order to prove the Poincaré theorem (the mathematical formula of the Universe), Grigory Perelman did not appear in scientific circles for seven long years. Colleagues did not know what kind of development he was doing or what his field of study was. Many could not even answer the question “Where is Grigory Perelman now?”

Everything was resolved in November 2002. It was during this period that one of the scientific resources where one could get acquainted with the latest developments and articles by physicists, a 39-page paper by Perelman appeared, in which proof of the geometrization theorem was given. The Poincaré conjecture was considered as a particular example to explain the essence of the study.

Simultaneously with this publication, Grigory Yakovlevich sent the work he had completed to Richard Hamilton, as well as to the mathematician Ren Tian from China, with whom he had communicated in New York. Several other scientists, whose opinions Perelman especially trusted, also received a proof of the theorem.

Why was the work of several years of a mathematician’s life so easily released, since this evidence could simply have been stolen? However, Perelman, who completed a million-dollar job, did not at all want to profit from it or emphasize his uniqueness. He believed that if there was an error in his evidence, then it could be taken as a basis by another scientist. And this would already give him satisfaction.

Yes, Grigory Yakovlevich was never an upstart. He always knew exactly what he wanted from life, and had his own opinion on any matter, which often differed from the generally accepted one.

Money can not buy happiness

What is Grigory Perelman famous for? Not only because he proved a hypothesis included in the list of seven mathematical problems of the millennium that have not been solved by scientists. The fact is that Grigory Perelman refused a million-dollar bonus that the Boston Institute of Mathematics was ready to pay him. Clay. And this was not accompanied by any explanation.

Of course, Perelman really wanted to prove the Poincaré conjecture. He dreamed of solving a puzzle that no one had found a solution to. And here the Russian scientist showed the passion of a researcher. At the same time, it was intertwined with the intoxicating feeling of realizing oneself as a discoverer.

Grigory Yakovlevich’s interest in the hypothesis moved into the category of “done things.” Does a true mathematician need a million dollars? No! The main thing for him is the feeling of his own victory. And it is simply impossible to measure it by earthly standards.

According to the rules, the Clay Prize can be awarded when a person who has solved one or several “Millennium Problems” sends his scientific article to the editors of the institute's journal. Here it is examined in detail and carefully checked. And only after two years can a verdict be made that will confirm or refute the correctness of the decision.

Verification of the results obtained by Perelman was carried out from 2004 to 2006. Three independent groups of mathematicians were engaged in this work. They all made an unambiguous conclusion that the Poincaré conjecture was completely proven.

The prize was awarded to Grigory Perelman in March 2010. For the first time in history, the award was to be given for solving one of the problems on the list of “mathematical problems of the millennium.” However, Perelman simply did not come to the conference in Paris. On July 1, 2010, he publicly announced his refusal of the award.

Of course, for many people Perelman’s act seems inexplicable. The man easily gave up honors and glory, and also missed the chance to move to America and live comfortably there for the rest of his days. However, for Grigory Yakovlevich all this does not carry any meaning. Just like school physical education lessons used to be.

Reclusion

Today, Grigory Perelman does not remind of himself in word or deed. Where does this outstanding man live? In Leningrad, in one of the ordinary high-rise buildings in Kupchino. Grigory Perelman lives with his mother. His personal life did not work out. However, the mathematician does not give up hope of starting a family.

Grigory Yakovlevich does not communicate with Russian journalists. He maintained his contacts only with the foreign press. However, despite the reclusiveness, interest in this person does not fade. Books are written about him. Grigory Perelman is often mentioned in scientific articles and essays. Where is Grigory Perelman now? Still in my homeland. Many believe that they will hear this name more than once, and perhaps in connection with the solution to the next “millennium problem.”

November 11, 2002 on one of the major portals scientific publications An article from St. Petersburg appeared 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 during his 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 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.”

Mathematician Grigory Perelman, the same one who refused a million dollars, no less decisively rejected the offer of the Russian Academy of Sciences to become its member. Or rather, he simply ignored this proposal, without leaving his voluntary retreat...

The seemingly strange behavior of Grigory Yakovlevich, which is taking on increasingly shocking forms, is inspired by his deepest contempt for any kind of publicity. It would be strange if he agreed to jump into academics from a candidate of sciences, and this proposal from the Russian Academy of Sciences cannot be explained by anything other than PR interests.

“I know how to control the Universe.

And tell me, why should I run for a million?”

But even stranger is the desire not only of television journalists, whose credo is “scandals, intrigues, investigations,” but also of serious scientists to cling to the glory of an eccentric mathematical genius.

He proved the Poincaré conjecture, a puzzle that had defied anyone for more than 100 years and which, through his efforts, became a theorem. For which Russian citizen, resident of St. Petersburg Grigory Perelman was awarded one of the promised millions. The Millennium Problem, solved by a Russian mathematical genius, has to do with the origin of the Universe. Not every mathematician can understand the essence of the riddle...

Grisha in his youth - even then he was a genius

When explaining the Poincaré conjecture, they begin like this: imagine a two-dimensional sphere - take a rubber disk and pull it over the ball. So that the circumference of the disk is collected at one point. In a similar way, for example, you can tie a sports backpack with a cord. The result will be a sphere: for us - three-dimensional, but from the point of view of mathematics - only two-dimensional.

Then begins something inaccessible to the imagination of an ordinary person. Because you need to imagine a three-dimensional sphere - namely, a ball stretched over something that goes into another dimension. So, according to the Poincaré hypothesis, a three-dimensional sphere is the only three-dimensional thing whose surface can be pulled to one point by some hypothetical “hypercord”.

Jules Henri Poincaré suggested this in 1904. Now Perelman has convinced everyone who understands that the French topologist was right. And turned his hypothesis into a theorem.

The proof helps to understand what shape our Universe has. And it allows us to very reasonably assume that it is that same three-dimensional sphere. But if the Universe is the only “figure” that can be contracted to a point, then, probably, it can be stretched from a point. This serves as an indirect confirmation of the Big Bang theory, which states that the Universe originated from a point.

It turns out that Perelman, together with Poincaré, upset the so-called creationists - supporters of the divine beginning of the universe. And they shed grist to the mill of materialist physicists.

Psychologists almost officially call him a “mad professor” - that is, a person is so immersed in his thoughts that he puts on different shoes and forgets to comb his hair. But in modern Russia it is an almost extinct species.

As Zabrovsky told the newspaper, Perelman gave the impression of “an absolutely sane, healthy, adequate and normal person”: “Realistic, pragmatic and sensible, but not devoid of sentimentality and passion... Everything that was attributed to him in the press, as if he was “out of his mind” - complete nonsense! He knows exactly what he wants and knows how to achieve his goal.”

The film, for which the mathematician made contact and agreed to help, will not be about himself, but about the cooperation and confrontation of the three main world mathematical schools: Russian, Chinese and American, the most advanced along the path of studying and managing the Universe.

The scientist is offended by what he is called in the Russian press

He doesn’t want to contact the Russian media specifically because of the disrespectful attitude towards him. For example, in the press they call him Grisha, and such familiarity offends him.

But in our country, in the 2000s, it was finally formed national idea, the essence of which is simple: personal enrichment at any cost. Popularly it sounds like this: steal while they give it, and get out if you have time. Any behavior that goes against this ideology seems strange and crazy, but Perelman’s incident turned out to be especially alien.

No other reasoning can explain the behavior of the academicians, to whom this shaggy man with unkempt hands explained a hundred times: he does not want to have anything in common with the modern establishment. No way, never. And when he comes up with something like this, he will publish it on a scientific blog, here you go, steal it, like those Chinese who at first wanted to appropriate the famous proof.

A person abhors us, yes, but he alone may have the moral right to do so. Perelman is completely devoid of civic pathos. But he is the only one who radically opposes modern consumerism and the loss of national identity imposed by wild capitalism.

I do not rule out that Grigory Yakovlevich himself is not aware of his civilian mission and does not think about it at all. He just lives in a world parallel to our bestial reality, where the main measure of exclusivity is the Forbes list.

Perelman is a model of normality, in contrast to the “masters of life” bursting with prosperity. It is unlikely that anyone in Perelman’s place would not be tempted by honor and wealth, but he will never do this. Someone must demonstrate to society what state it is in and where its conscience is.

Click “Like” and receive only the best posts on Facebook ↓

$mob_info$