Editors of prominent mathematics journals are used to fielding grandiose claims from obscure authors, but this paper. Counting from infinity yitang zhang and the twin prime conjecture 2015 documentary duration. Zhangs original bound here was 70 million, but it has since been cut down to 246 thanks to the efforts of james maynard and an online collaborative polymath project. His counterintuitive findings show that special pairs. Bounded gaps between primes yitang zhang abstract it is proved that liminf n. The paper s referees wrote that zhang, who had been unknown to established mathematicians, had proved a landmark theorem in the distribution of prime numbers. Are there any experts here who can explain the proof.
But he possessed the knowledge of the most sophisticated areas of analytic number theory, and he could use it all with ease. In a 20 interview with nautilus magazine, zhang said he did not get a job after graduation. Zhang became an overnight sensation among mathematicians and in the popular media. And so it came to pass, that an almost millenial quest found a safe resting place like all analytic number theorists, ive been amazed to learn that yitang zhang has proved that there exist infinitely many pairs of prime numbers with bounded by. The unassuming mathematician, who spends pretty much every free waking momentand many sleeping ones as wellpondering intractable math problems, became famous overnight. Yitang zhang recently published a new attack on the twin primes conjecture.
Yitang zhang and the twin prime conjecture zala films. Written by a mathematician virtually unknown to the experts in his field a 50something lecturer at the university of new hampshire named yitang zhang the paper claimed to have taken a huge step forward in understanding one of mathematics oldest problems, the twin. Yitang zhang university of california, santa barbara, ca. Zhang yitang made a major advancement to the twin prime con jecture as verified by prof. He worked as a laborer for ten years and was unable to attend high school. An unknown mathematician, yitang zhang, has revolutionized his field and helped move forward a 2,000yearold conjecture about prime numbers. To submit students of this mathematician, please use the new data form, noting this mathematicians mgp id of 16848 for the advisor id. He was a math instructor, not a tenuretrack professor, at the university of new hampshire from 1999 to 20, teaching prealgebra and calculus yitang zhang on rat. He gave talks around the world and was awarded the ostrowski prize, the cole prize, the rolf. Is the outline in the annals the preprint or the full accepted paper.
Yitang tom zhang and fame in mathematics hacker news. Please join the simons foundation and our generous member organizations in supporting arxiv during our giving campaign september 2327. Yitang tom zhang department of mathematics uc santa barbara. During that period it was difficult to find a job in academics. First proof that infinitely many prime numbers come in. May 14, 20 first proof that infinitely many prime numbers come in pairs. Counting from infinity yitang zhang and the twin prime conjecture a film by george csicsery in april 20, a lecturer at the university of new hampshire submi ed a paper to the annals of mathema cs within weeks word spread. Yitang zhang should at least provide a respective comment at his arxivarticle wherehow incomplete the paper is. It began in april 20 when yitang tom zhang, a virtually unknown mathematician working as an adjunct professor at the university of new hampshire, submitted a paper to the annals of mathematics. By yitang zhang abstract it is proved that liminf n.
While working for the university of new hampshire as a lecturer, zhang submitted an article to the annals of mathematics in 20 which established the first finite bound on gaps between prime numbers, which lead to a 2014. It concerned another famous problem, the landausiegel zeros conjecture, and he left it up because he hopes to correct it. Jun 15, 2017 the paper s referees wrote that zhang, who had been unknown to established mathematicians, had proved a landmark theorem in the distribution of prime numbers. Aperiodic to complete the story started as a rumour report in primes gotta stick together and confirmed in primes really do stick together, here we report that annals of mathematics has posted the pdf. Written by a mathematician virtually unknown to the experts in his field a 50something lecturer at the university of new hampshire named yitang zhang the paper claimed to have taken a huge step forward in understanding one of mathematics oldest. During the cultural revolution, he and his parents were sent to the countryside to work in the fields.
May 29, 20 to complete the story started as a rumour report in primes gotta stick together and confirmed in primes really do stick together, here we report that annals of mathematics has posted the pdf of bounded gaps between primes by yitang zhang on its to appear in forthcoming issues page. Yitang zhang and the twin prime conjecture a film by george csicsery in april 20, a lecturer at the university of new hampshire submi ed a paper to the annals of mathema cs. Celebrity mathematician joins ucsb faculty the daily nexus. On april 17, a paper arrived in the inbox of annals of mathematics, one of the disciplines preeminent journals. May 19, 20 on april 17, a paper arrived in the inbox of annals of mathematics, one of the disciplines preeminent journals. Yitang zhang was born on february 5, 1955 in shanghai, china, and lived there until he was years old. Zhang s original bound here was 70 million, but it has since been cut down to 246 thanks to the efforts of james maynard and an online collaborative polymath project. Bounded gaps between primes yitang zhang it is proved that liminf n.
And when news leaked out about yitang zhangs solution to an ageold problem, the reaction was swift. To submit students of this mathematician, please use the new data form, noting this. Students stopped zhang on the unh campus to ask for his autograph. Yitang zhang proves landmark theorem in distribution of. Zhang, yitang zhang, yi tang 1nhndm bounded gaps between primes. Zhang, yitang i i 2s i zhang, yitang 1955 yitang zhang is a chinese american mathematician who catapulted from obscurity into professional and public prominence in 20 with the publication of his research related to the famous twin primes conjec ture in number theory.
Recently, yitang zhang proved the existence of a nite bound bsuch that there are in nitely many pairs p n. Zhang posted a paper in 2007 that fell short of a proof. The big experts in the field had already tried to make this approach work, granville said. Bounded gaps between primes andrew granville abstract. It began in april 20 when yitang tom zhang, a virtually unknown mathematician working as an adjunct professor at the university of new hampshire, submitted a paper. Yitang zhang bounded gaps between primes 2014 youtube. Some people are curious about yitangs life as a graduate student at purdue university. So using the k 0tuple suggested by zhang actually yields. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Yitang zhang, an unknown mathematician who worked at subway while trying to find an academic position earlier in his career, has written a paper that makes significant progress towards understanding the twin prime conjecture, one of mathematics oldest problems. How yitang tom zhang proved a theorem that had stumped. This can be seen as a massive breakthrough on the subject of twin primes and other.
Frankly put, not being fully transparent about the state of this work and thus have other people spend their time on it not knowing where. Also, he was able to make a breakthrough where many. If you have additional information or corrections regarding this mathematician, please use the update form. Hes not a known expert, but he succeeded where all the experts had failed. Yitang tom zhang department of mathematics uc santa. Zhang became famous in 20 when he submitted a proof to the annals of mathematics which established the first finite bound on gaps between twin prime numbers, a feat many. To complete the story started as a rumour report in primes gotta stick together and confirmed in primes really do stick together, here we report that annals of mathematics has posted the pdf of bounded gaps between primes by yitang zhang on its to appear in forthcoming issues page. Mathematician yitang zhang has outlined a proof of a weak version of the twin prime conjecture. Last year, in a breakthrough work of yitang zhang, it was shown that there were infinitely many gaps between primes of bounded size. Zhang yitang born 1955 is a chineseborn american mathematician working in the area of number theory. Zhang yitang made a major advancement to the twin prime conjecture as veri ed by prof. Frankly put, not being fully transparent about the state of this work and thus have other people spend their time on it not knowing where it is lacking is absolutely ridiculous. Has anybody read yitang zhangs paper on prime gaps. Yitang zhang was not wellknown to specialists in number theory before his fantastic paper on prime numbers was recognized by the annals of mathematics three weeks ago.
Yitang zhangs pursuit of beauty in math the new yorker. While working for the university of new hampshire as a lecturer, zhang submitted an article to the annals of mathematics in 20 which established the first finite bound on the least gap between consecutive primes that is attained infinitely. Jan 28, 2015 yitang zhang s mathematical discovery starring. First proof that infinitely many prime numbers come in pairs. Bounded gaps between primes by yitang zhang now available.
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