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‘Genius’ rejected $1,000,000 cash prize after finally one of the most difficult maths problems in the world

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‘Genius’ rejected $1,000,000 cash prize after finally one of the most difficult maths problems in the world

The mathematician thought that the cash award was 'unfair'

One 'genius' mathematician has turned down an incredible $1,000,000 cash prize for solving one of the field's toughest conundrums, claiming that the award is 'unjust' in a pushback against the mathematics community.

Despite countless top-level mathematicians existing across the globe, there still exists plenty of complex problems that don't yet have an answer.

From Hilbert's problems to the Hodge conjecture, there remain many challenges for the smartest individuals to face - and oftentimes solving one will net you will a handy reward for your efforts.

One such of these problems that has been solved, however, is Poincaré's conjecture. Proposed by Henri Poincaré, this theorem argues that a sphere is the only shape that possesses a loop-tightening property on the surface's every possible loop - essentially allowing a loop of string to tighten itself and close the loop.

Perelman managed to solve what countless mathematicians previously couldn't (Frances M. Roberts)
Perelman managed to solve what countless mathematicians previously couldn't (Frances M. Roberts)

This problem is certainly complex enough to explain, so it's understandable why for nearly 100 years it remained unproven and unsolved, that is until Russian mathematician Grigori Perelman managed to crack the code.

Using new techniques in the analysis of Ricci flow - introduced by Richard S. Hamilton - Perelman managed to beat the riddle which was then verified by some of the world's top mathematicians.

Over half a decade after his achievement was recognized he was offer a $1,000,000 cash prize from the Clay Mathematics Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but a rather unexpected event occurred.

Perelman indeed turned down the reward, claiming the main reason to be that the awarding body refused to share the prize with Hamilton, with Perelman claiming he deserved it equally for playing a significant part in the solution.

"I don't like their decisions," declared Perelman in regard to the mathematics community, "I consider them unjust."

Perelman has made multiple stands against individual awards (Metode Science Studies Journal)
Perelman has made multiple stands against individual awards (Metode Science Studies Journal)

This is far from the first time that he's clashed with an awarding body though, as he's previously denied the Fields Medal - one of the top prizes within the mathematics world - claiming that he's "not interested in money or fame," and that he doesn't "want to be on display like an animal in a zoo."

Social media appears to be very much behind Perelman's decision making process, with one comment on Reddit arguing that "He saw singular prizes as a fraudulent relationship with the real nature of communal human scientific progress."

"Society is so cooked," another user adds, " that when someone does something for the greater good people actually ask why."

It's certainly hard to argue with that, as while some might see Perelman as bizarre for rejecting such a significant sum of money, others see the valor in his actions that speak much louder than any award would otherwise.

Featured Image Credit: Metode Science Studies Journal / Getty Stock Image