3 ms·

Dr Grigory Perelman turns down $1million prize

8 points by smallhands 17y ago

daeken 17y ago
Completely inaccurate title. The article itself states: "The Clay Institute did not say whether the Russian mathematician agreed to accept his prize." It does say "Russian news agencies say that Perelman showed absolutely no interest in his latest prize - $1 million – from the Clay Institute.", but that's not the same as him turning it down.
- vgurgov 17y ago
  confirming. at this moment its still unclear if he will take money. my bet - he just dont care about any money and awards he is getting. disclaimer - i am not a friend of him but graduated at same university and saw him few times there. he is typical "out of this universe math geek" type of person
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  - VMG 17y ago
    Look at his thumb - he really doesn't cut his fingernail
- ableal 17y ago
  Lost in translation, apparently. The original russian title, http://www.pravda.ru/science/19-03-2010/1023431-perelman-0/ http://www.pravda.ru/science/19-03-2010/1023431-perelman-0/ , says Российский математик может отказаться от премии в миллион долларов which http://translate.google.com/ http://translate.google.com/ gives as "Russia mathematician may refuse the prize of one million dollars" Not quite the "Strange Russian Genius Declines Million-Dollar Prize from USA" in the linked page. (However, "does not accept" would be accurate - misleading, but accurate ...) P.S. had to hunt a bit for the original, because the English version is under 'society', instead of the original 'science'. That may tell much ...
python123 17y ago
He should just take it and give it to his mom.
- VMG 17y ago
  Or some charity of his choice
fierarul 17y ago
I don't really know how safe Russia is as a country but would it be wise for a teacher there to just accept $1 million without taking some precautions ? Personally I'd say the first precaution would be to move with the family in the US, presumably to another large institution. It's strange how reclusive the guy became (was he always like this?). I wonder if all this attention is getting him to lose interest in math. On the other hand, without being in the spotlight, will the contributions really be acknowledged as fast as they should ? I mean -- the guy had to solve one of the Millennium Problems to be noticed. What other "minor" stuff did he do that goes unnoticed because of his lack of "fame" or because he's not from an institution with a great pedigree ?
- mootothemax 17y ago
  Isn't it a little bit patronising to write I don't really know how safe Russia is as a country and then expand on how unsafe the country is? You then write that he should pack up and run off to the US; what's your reasoning behind that?
  - fierarul 17y ago
    I might have come out as patronising, sorry about it. I do imagine the situation less safe than the US for some reason. Anyhow, moving to the US wasn't just so he could be safe or whatever but so he could really contribute to the field.
- varjag 17y ago
  It's not that bad. There are many thousands of people in Moscow with much greater fortunes than that-
- Snoddas 17y ago
  He's not teaching any more. He has been a recluse and stopped publishing since 2003 or thereabouts. Basically he's been hiding in his moms flat since then.
mahmud 17y ago
Perelman made every effort to stay out of the public life, yet every few months someone robs him of his right to privacy by snapping a picture of him in public, often in unflattering appearance. Just leave him alone. Don't visit any site that preys on him.
srirampc 17y ago
It seems he had denied the Fields Medal in 2006 ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman ). I found this Newyorker article (2006) interesting ( http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/08/28/060828fa_fact2?currentPage=all http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/08/28/060828fa_fact2?c... )

Dr Grigory Perelman turns down $1million prize

8 points by smallhands 17y ago

Dr Grigory Perelman turns down $1million prize

Completely inaccurate title. The article itself states: "The Clay Institute did not say whether the Russian mathematician agreed to accept his prize." It does say "Russian news agencies say that Perelman showed absolutely no interest in his latest prize - $1 million – from the Clay Institute.", but that's not the same as him turning it down.

vgurgov 17y ago
confirming. at this moment its still unclear if he will take money. my bet - he just dont care about any money and awards he is getting. disclaimer - i am not a friend of him but graduated at same university and saw him few times there. he is typical "out of this universe math geek" type of person
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]
  - deleted 17y ago
    [deleted]
- VMG 17y ago
  Look at his thumb - he really doesn't cut his fingernail
ableal 17y ago
Lost in translation, apparently. The original russian title, http://www.pravda.ru/science/19-03-2010/1023431-perelman-0/ http://www.pravda.ru/science/19-03-2010/1023431-perelman-0/ , says Российский математик может отказаться от премии в миллион долларов which http://translate.google.com/ http://translate.google.com/ gives as "Russia mathematician may refuse the prize of one million dollars" Not quite the "Strange Russian Genius Declines Million-Dollar Prize from USA" in the linked page. (However, "does not accept" would be accurate - misleading, but accurate ...) P.S. had to hunt a bit for the original, because the English version is under 'society', instead of the original 'science'. That may tell much ...

python123 17y ago

He should just take it and give it to his mom.

VMG 17y ago
Or some charity of his choice

fierarul 17y ago

I don't really know how safe Russia is as a country but would it be wise for a teacher there to just accept $1 million without taking some precautions ? Personally I'd say the first precaution would be to move with the family in the US, presumably to another large institution. It's strange how reclusive the guy became (was he always like this?). I wonder if all this attention is getting him to lose interest in math. On the other hand, without being in the spotlight, will the contributions really be acknowledged as fast as they should ? I mean -- the guy had to solve one of the Millennium Problems to be noticed. What other "minor" stuff did he do that goes unnoticed because of his lack of "fame" or because he's not from an institution with a great pedigree ?

mootothemax 17y ago
Isn't it a little bit patronising to write I don't really know how safe Russia is as a country and then expand on how unsafe the country is? You then write that he should pack up and run off to the US; what's your reasoning behind that?
- fierarul 17y ago
  I might have come out as patronising, sorry about it. I do imagine the situation less safe than the US for some reason. Anyhow, moving to the US wasn't just so he could be safe or whatever but so he could really contribute to the field.
varjag 17y ago
It's not that bad. There are many thousands of people in Moscow with much greater fortunes than that-
Snoddas 17y ago
He's not teaching any more. He has been a recluse and stopped publishing since 2003 or thereabouts. Basically he's been hiding in his moms flat since then.

mahmud 17y ago

Perelman made every effort to stay out of the public life, yet every few months someone robs him of his right to privacy by snapping a picture of him in public, often in unflattering appearance. Just leave him alone. Don't visit any site that preys on him.

srirampc 17y ago

It seems he had denied the Fields Medal in 2006 ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigori_Perelman ). I found this Newyorker article (2006) interesting ( http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/08/28/060828fa_fact2?currentPage=all http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2006/08/28/060828fa_fact2?c... )