Category Archives: Uncategorized

Physicists Discover Never-Before Seen Particle Sitting On a Tabletop

Posted on June 9, 2022 by woit

I woke up this morning to find out that a new Higgs particle which could explain dark matter has been discovered, in a table-top experiment at Boston College. For some of the news stories about this, see here and here. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 19 Comments

This and That

Posted on May 25, 2022 by woit

Various things that may be of interest: MSRI in Berkeley has announced a \$70 million dollar gift from Jim and Marilyn Simons, and Henry and Marsha Laufer. This gift will make up the bulk of a planned endowment increase of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 22 Comments

Two Titans

Posted on May 10, 2022 by woit

If one tried to pick a single most talented and influential figure of the past 100 years in each of the fields of pure mathematics and of theoretical physics, I’d argue that you should pick Alexander Grothendieck in pure math … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 51 Comments

Brian Conrad on the California Mathematics Framework

Posted on May 5, 2022 by woit

Brian Conrad has been doing the state of California a great service by taking a careful look at the drafts of the proposed California Mathematics Framework and the research they are supposedly based on.   He has recently created a website … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments

Three Quick Items

Posted on May 3, 2022 by woit

Just time for three quick items: There’s a wonderful book out now published by the Simons Center at Stony Brook, with the title Crossings. It tells the story of the center and of various people involved with it through a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Various and Sundry

Posted on April 18, 2022 by woit

Last week a review of the Mochizuki IUT papers appeared at Math Reviews, written by Mohamed Saïdi. His discussion of the critical part of the proof is limited to: Theorem 3.11 in Part III is somehow reinterpreted in Corollary 3.12 … Continue reading →

Posted in abc Conjecture, Uncategorized | 24 Comments

The Anti-Science Movement

Posted on April 6, 2022 by woit

I noticed recently that Stony Brook is hosting next week a panel discussion devoted to a conversation about one of the most grave challenges to confront humanity: the anti-science movement. There is a truly grave challenge being referred to, but … Continue reading →

Posted in Fake Physics, Uncategorized | 42 Comments

2022 Abel Prize to Dennis Sullivan

Posted on March 23, 2022 by woit

This year’s Abel Prize has gone to topologist Dennis Sullivan, for the announcement see here, with more information about Sullivan and his work here. There are press stories at Nature, the New York Times, Quanta, and elsewhere. Sullivan was one … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on 2022 Abel Prize to Dennis Sullivan

A Few Items

Posted on March 4, 2022 by woit

Some short items and links: Among possible futures that I never would have dreamed of during my student days was that someday my Nobel-prize-winning undergraduate advisor would “try to rile” my Nobel-prize-winning graduate school professor at a Bohr Centennial celebration … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 32 Comments

ICM 2022 and the Invasion of Ukraine

Posted on February 21, 2022 by woit

The news this evening that Russia is sending troops into the Eastern Ukraine and in effect announcing annexation of at least part of the Ukraine carries extremely disturbing implications for the whole world. On a much more minor scale of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 51 Comments