7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

http://nyti.ms/1DBlZ1Y

TheSingularMindofTerryTao
Aprodigygrowsuptobecomeoneofthegreatestmathematiciansin
theworld.
ByGARETHCOOK

JULY24,2015

ThisApril,asundergraduatesstrolledalongthestreetoutsidehismodest
officeonthecampusoftheUniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles,the
mathematicianTerenceTaomusedaboutthepossibilitythatwatercould
spontaneouslyexplode.Awidelyusedsetofequationsdescribesthe
behavioroffluidslikewater,butthereseemstobenothinginthose
equations,hetoldme,thatpreventsawaywardeddyfromsuddenlyturning
inonitself,tighteningintoanangrygyre,untilthedensityoftheenergyat
itscorebecomesinfinite:acatastrophicsingularity.Someonetossinga
pennyintothefountainbythefacultycenterorskippingastoneatthe
SantaMonicabeachcouldapparentlysetoffachainreactionthatwould
takeoutSouthernCalifornia.
Thisdoesnttendtohappen.Andyet,Taoexplained,nobodycansay
preciselywhy.Itsadecades
oldconundrum,andTaohasrecentlybeen
workingonanapproachtoasolutiononepartfanciful,onepartoutright
absurd,likesomelostpassagefromAlicesAdventuresinWonderland.
Imagine,hesaid,thatsomeoneawfullyclevercouldconstructa
machineoutofpurewater.Itwouldbebuiltnotofrodsandgearsbutfrom
apatternofinteractingcurrents.Ashetalked,Taocarvedshapesintheair
withhishands,likeamagician.Nowimagine,hewenton,thatthis
machinewereabletomakeasmaller,fastercopyofitself,whichcouldthen
makeanother,andsoon,untilonehasinfinitespeedinatinyspaceand

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=pa

1/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

blowsup.TaowasnotproposingconstructingsuchamachineIdont
knowhow!hesaid,laughing.Itwasmerelyathoughtexperiment,ofthe
sortthatEinsteinusedtodevelopthetheoryofspecialrelativity.But,Tao
explained,ifhecanshowmathematicallythatthereisnothing,inprinciple,
preventingsuchafiendishcontraptionfromoperating,thenitwouldmean
thatwatercan,infact,explode.Andintheprocess,hewillhavealsosolved
theNavier
Stokesglobalregularityproblem,whichhasbecome,sinceit
emergedmorethanacenturyago,oneofthemostimportantinallof
mathematics.
Tao,whois40,satatadeskbythewindow,paperslyingindriftsatthe
margins.Thinandunassuming,hewasdressedinBirkenstocks,arumpled
bluegraypoloshirtandjeanswiththecuffsturnedup.Behindhim,asmall
almondcouchfacedaglyph
coveredblackboardrunningthelengthofthe
room.Thecouchhadbeenpulledawayfromthewalltoaccommodatethe
beatupTrekbikeheridestowork.Attheroomsotherendstooda
fiberboardbookcasehaphazardlypiledwithbooks,includingCompactness
andContradictionandPoincarsLegacies,PartI,twoofthe16volumes
Taohaswrittensincehewasateenager.
FamecameearlyforTao,whowasborninSouthAustralia.Anold
headlineinhishometownpaper,TheAdvertiser,reads:TINYTERENCE,
7,ISHIGHSCHOOLWHIZ.Theclippingincludesaphotoofadiminutive
Taoin11thgrademathclass,wearingaVnecksweateroverawhite
turtleneck,kneelingonhischairsohecanreachadeskheissharingwitha
girlmorethantwicehisage.Histeachertoldthereporterthathehardly
taughtTaoanything,becauseTaowasalwaysworkingtwolessonsaheadof
theothers.(Taotaughthimselftoreadatage2.)
Afewmonthslater,halfwaythroughtheschoolyear,Taowasmoved
upto12thgrademath.Threeyearslater,atage10,Taobecamethe
youngestpersoninhistorytowinamedalintheInternational
MathematicalOlympiad.Hehassincewonmanyotherprizes,includinga
MacArthurgeniusgrantandtheFieldsMedal,consideredtheNobelPrize
formathematicians.Today,manyregardTaoasthefinestmathematicianof

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=pa

2/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

hisgeneration.
Thatspringdayinhisoffice,reflectingonhiscareersofar,Taotoldme
thathisviewofmathematicshasutterlychangedsincechildhood.WhenI
wasgrowingup,IknewIwantedtobeamathematician,butIhadnoidea
whatthatentailed,hesaidinaliltingAustralianaccent.Isortof
imaginedacommitteewouldhandmeproblemstosolveorsomething.
Butitturnedoutthattheworkofrealmathematiciansbearslittle
resemblancetothemanipulationsandmemorizationofthemathstudent.
Eventhosewhoexperiencegreatsuccessthroughtheircollegeyearsmay
turnoutnottohavewhatittakes.Theancientartofmathematics,Taohas
discovered,doesnotrewardspeedsomuchaspatience,cunningand,
perhapsmostsurprisingofall,thesortofgiftforcollaborationand
improvisationthatcharacterizesthebestjazzmusicians.Taonowbelieves
thathisyoungerself,theprodigywhowowedthemathworld,wasnttruly
doingmathatall.Itsasifyouronlyexperiencewithmusicwerepracticing
scalesorlearningmusictheory,hesaid,lookingintolightpouringfrom
hiswindow.Ididntlearnthedeepermeaningofthesubjectuntilmuch
later.
PossiblythegreatestmathematiciansinceantiquitywasCarl
FriedrichGauss,adourGermanborninthelate18thcentury.Hedidnot
getalongwithhisownchildrenandkeptimportantresultstohimself,
seeingthemasunsuitableforpublicview.Theywerediscoveredamonghis
papersafterhisdeath.Beforeandsince,theannalsofthefieldhaveteemed
withvariationsonthismisfittheme,fromIsaacNewton,thelonerwitha
savagetempertoJohnNash,thebeautifulmindwhoseworkshaped
economicsandevenpoliticalscience,butwhowasrackedbyparanoid
delusionsto,morerecently,
GrigoryPerelman,theRussianwhoconquered
thePoincarconjecturealone,thenrefusedtheFieldsMedal,andwhoalso
allowedhisfingernailstogrowuntiltheycurled.
Tao,bycontrast,is,asonecolleagueputit,supernormal.Hehasa
gentle,self
deprecatingmanner.Heeschewsjoboffersfromprestigious
EastCoastinstitutionsinfavorofarelaxed,nodramadepartmentina

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=pa

3/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

placewherehecanenjoytheweather.Inclass,heconveysasensethat
mathematicsisfun.Oneofhisstudentstoldmethathehadrecentlyjoked
withanotheraboutthemanywaysTaodefiesalltheHollywoodmad
genius
tropes.Theywillnevermakeamovieabouthim,hesaid.Hedoesnt
haveatroubledlife.Hehasafamily,andtheyseemhappy,andhesusually
smiling.
Thiscanbetracedtohisownchildhood,whichheexperiencedas
supernormal,evenif,tooutsideeyes,itwasanythingbut.Taosfamily
spentmostofhisearlyyearslivinginthefoothillssouthofAdelaide,ina
bricksplit
levelwithviewsofGulfSt.Vincent.Thehomewasdesignedby
hisfather,Billy,apediatricianwhoimmigratedwithTaosmother,Grace,
fromHongKongin1972,threeyearsbeforeTao,theeldestofthree,was
bornin1975.ThethreeboysNigel,TrevorandTerry,aseveryonecalls
himoftenplayedtogether,andafavoritepastimewasinventingboard
games.TheytypicallyappropriatedaScrabbleboardforabasicgrid,then
broughtinScrabbletiles,chesspieces,Chinesecheckers,mahjonggtiles
andDungeons&Dragonsdice,accordingtoNigel,whonowworksfor
Google.Forstorylines,theyfrequentlydrewfromvideogamescomingout
atthetime,likeSuperMarioBros.,thenaddedlayersofcomplex,
whimsicalrules.(Trevor,ajuniorchesschampion,wastoogoodtobeat,so
theboyscreatedavariationonthatgameaswell:Eachturnbeganwitha
dierolltodeterminewhichpiececouldbemoved.)Taowasavoracious
consumeroffantasybookslikeTerryPratchettsDiscworldseries.Whena
classwasboring,hedoodledintricatemapsofimaginarylands.
Bythespringof1985,witha9yearoldTaosplittingtimebetween
highschoolandnearbyFlindersUniversity,BillyandGracetookhimona
threeweekAmericantourtoseekadvicefromtopmathematiciansand
educationexperts.OntheBaltimorecampusofJohnsHopkins,theymet
withJulianStanley,aGeorgia
bornpsychologistwhofoundedtheCenter
forTalentedYouththere.Taowasoneofthemosttalentedmathstudents
Stanleyevertestedat8yearsold,Taoscoreda760onthemathportion
oftheSATbutStanleyurgedthecoupletokeeptakingthingsslowand
givetheirsonsemotionalandsocialskillstimetodevelop.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=pa

4/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

Evenatarelativelydeliberatepace,byage17,Taohadfinisheda
mastersthesis(ConvolutionOperatorsGeneratedbyRight
Monogenic
andHarmonicKernels)andmovedtoPrincetonUniversitytostartonhis
Ph.D.TaosapplicationtotheuniversityincludedaletterfromPaulErdos,
thereveredHungarianmathematician.Iamsurehewilldevelopintoa
firstratemathematicianandperhapsintoareallygreatone,readErdoss
brief,typewrittennote.Irecommendhiminthehighestpossibleterms.
Yetonarrival,itwasTao,theteenageprodigy,whowasintimidated.
DuringTaosfirstyear,AndrewWiles,thenaPrincetonprofessor,
announcedthatheprovedFermatsLastTheorem,alegendaryproblem
thathadgoneunsolvedformorethanthreecenturies.Taosfellowgraduate
studentsspokeeloquentlyaboutmathematicalfieldsofwhichhehadbarely
heard.
Taobecamenotoriousforhisnightshauntingthegraduatecomputer
roomtoplaythehistorical
simulationgameCivilization.(Henowavoids
computergames,hetoldme,becauseofwhathecallsacompletiststreak
thatmakesithardtostopplaying.)Atalocalcomicbookstore,Taometa
circleoffriendswhoplayedMagic:TheGathering,theintricatefantasy
cardgame.ThiswasTaosfirstrealexperiencehangingoutwithpeoplehis
age,buttherewasalsoanelement,headmitted,ofescapingthepressures
ofPrinceton.Giftedchildrenoftenavoidchallengesatwhichtheymightnot
excel.BeforeTaowenttoPrinceton,hisgradeshadflaggedatFlinders.Ina
courseonquantumphysics,theinstructortoldtheclassthatthefinal
wouldincludeanessayonthehistoryofthefield.Tao,then12,blewoff
studying,andwhenhesatdownfortheexam,hewasstunnedtodiscover
thattheessaywouldcountforhalfthegrade.Iremembercrying,Tao
said,andtheproctorhadtoescortmeout.Hefailed.
AtPrinceton,crisiscameintheformofthegenerals,awide
ranging,
arduousoralexaminationadministeredbythreeprofessors.Whileother
studentsspentmonthsworkingthroughproblemsetsandgivingone
anothermockexams,Taosettledonhisusualtestprepstrategy:last

minutecramming.Iwentinandveryquicklygotoutofmydepth,he
said.TheywereaskingquestionswhichIhadnoabilitytoanswer.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=pa

5/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

Immediatelyafter,Taosatwithhisadviser,EliasStein,andfeltthathehad
lethimdown.Taowasntreallytrying,andthehardestpartwasyetto
come.
Thetrueworkofthemathematicianisnotexperienceduntilthelater
partsofgraduateschool,whenthestudentischallengedtocreate
knowledgeintheformofanovelproof.Itiscommontofillpageafterpage
withanattempt,theseasonsturning,onlytoarrivepreciselywhereyou
began,emptyhandedortorealizethatasubtleflawoflogicdoomedthe
wholeenterprisefromitsoutset.Thesteadystateofmathematicalresearch
istobecompletelystuck.ItisaprocessthatCharlesFeffermanof
Princeton,himselfaonetimemathprodigyturnedFieldsmedalist,likensto
playingchesswiththedevil.Therulesofthedevilsgamearespecial,
though:Thedevilisvastlysuperioratchess,but,Feffermanexplained,you
maytakebackasmanymovesasyoulike,andthedevilmaynot.Youplaya
firstgame,and,ofcourse,hecrushesyou.Soyoutakebackmovesandtry
somethingdifferent,andhecrushesyouagain,inmuchthesameway.If
youaresufficientlywily,youwilleventuallydiscoveramovethatforcesthe
deviltoshiftstrategyyoustilllose,butaha!youhaveyourfirstclue.
Asagroup,thepeopledrawntomathematicstendtovaluecertainty
andlogicandaneatnessofoutcome,sothisgamebecomesaspecialkindof
torture.Andyetthisiswhatany
wouldbemathematicianmustsummon
thecouragetofacedown:weeks,months,yearsonaproblemthatmayor
maynotevenbepossibletounlock.Youfindyourselfsittinginaroom
withoutdoorsorwindows,andyoucanshoutandcarryonallyouwant,but
nooneislistening.
Withinhisfield,Taoisbestknownforaproofaboutaremarkable
setofnumbersknownastheprimes.Theprimesarethewholenumbers
largerthan1thatcanbedividedevenlybyonlythemselvesand1.Thus,the
firstfewprimesare2,3,5,7and11.Thenumber4isnotaprimebecauseit
dividesevenlyby2thenumber9failsbecauseitcanbedividedby3.Prime
numbersarefundamentalbuildingblocksinmathematics.Likethe
chemicalelements,theycombinetoformauniverse.Toachemist,wateris

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=pa

6/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

twoatomsofhydrogenandoneofoxygen.Similarly,inmathematics,the
number12iscomposedoftwoatomsof2andoneatomof3(12=2x2
x3).
Theprimesareelementaryand,atthesametime,mysterious.Theyare
aresultofsimplelogic,yettheyseemtoappearatrandomonthenumber
lineyouneverknowwhenthenextonewilloccur.Theyareatonceorderly
anddisorderly.Theyhavebeenincorporatedintomysticismandreligious
ritualandhaveinspiredworksofmusicandevenanItaliannovel,The
SolitudeofPrimeNumbers.Itiseasytoseewhymathematiciansconsider
theprimestobeoneoftheuniversesfoundations.Fromcounting,youcan
developtheconceptofnumber,andthen,quitenaturally,thebasic
operationsofarithmetic:addition,subtraction,multiplicationanddivision.
Thatisallyouneedtospottheprimesthough,eerily,scientistshave
uncovereddeepconnectionsbetweenprimesandquantummechanicsthat
remainunexplained.Imaginethatthereisanadvancedcivilizationofaliens
aroundsomedistantstar:TheysurelydonotspeakEnglish,theymayor
maynothavedevelopedtelevision,butwecanbealmostcertainthattheir
mathematicianshavediscoveredtheprimesandpuzzledoverthem.
Taosworkisrelatedtothetwinprimeconjecture,whichtheFrench
mathematicianAlphonsedePolignacsuggestedin1849.Goupthenumber
line,circlingtheprimes,andyoumaynoticethatsometimesapairof
primesisseparatedbyjust2:5and7,11and13,17and19.Thesearethe
twinprimes,andasthejourneyalongthenumberlinecontinues,they
occurlessfrequently:2,237and2,239arefollowedby2,267and2,269
after31,391and31,393,thereisntanotherpairuntilyoureach31,511and
31,513.Eucliddevisedasimple,beautifulproofshowingthatthereisan
infinitenumberofprimes.Butwhatofthetwinprimes?Asfarasyougoon
thenumberline,willtherealwaysbeanothersetoftwins?Theconjecture
hasroundlydefeatedallattemptsatprovingit.
Whenmathematiciansfaceaquestiontheycannotanswer,they
sometimesdevisealessstringentquestion,inthehopethatsolvingitwill
provideinsights.ThisisthepaththatTaotookin2004,incollaboration

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=pa

7/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

withBenGreenofOxford.Twinsaretwoprimesthatareseparatedby
exactly2,butGreenandTaoconsideredalooserdefinition,stringsof
primesseparatedbyaconstant,beit2oranyothernumber.(Forexample,
theprimes3,7and11areseparatedbytheconstant4.)Theysoughtto
provethatnomatterhowlongastringsomeonefound,therewouldalways
beanotherlongerstringwithaconstantgapbetweenitsprimes.That
February,aftersomeinitialconversations,GreencametovisitTaoat
U.C.L.A.,andinjusttwoexhilaratingmonths,theycompletedwhatisnow
knownastheGreenTaotheorem.Itcouldbeawaypointonthepathtothe
twinprimeconjecture,anditforgeddeepconnectionsbetweendisparate
areasofmath,helpingestablishaninterdisciplinaryareacalledadditive
combinatorics.Itopenedalotofnewdirectionsinresearch,saysIzabella
Laba,aUniversityofBritishColumbiamathematicianwhohasworkedwith
Tao.Itgavealotofpeoplealotofthingstodo.
ThissortofcollaborationhasbeenahallmarkofTaoscareer.Most
mathematicianstendtospecialize,butTaorangeswidely,learningfrom
othersandthenworkingwiththemtomakediscoveries.MarkusKeel,a
longtimecollaboratorandclosefriend,reachestosciencefictiontoexplain
Taosabilitytorapidlydigestandemploymathematicalideas:SeeingTao
inaction,Keeltoldme,remindshimofthesceneinTheMatrixwhenNeo
hasmartialartsdownloadedintohisbrainandthen,openinghiseyes,
declares,Iknowkungfu.ThecitationforTaosFieldsMedal,awardedin
2006,isalitanyofboundaryhoppingandnotesparticularlybeautiful
workonHornsconjecture,whichTaocompletedwithafriendhehad
playedfoosballwithingraduateschool.Itwasanewareaofmathematics
forTao,atagreatremovefromhisknownstampinggrounds.Thisis
akin,thecitationread,toaleadingEnglish
languagenovelistsuddenly
producingthedefinitiveRussiannovel.
TheGreenTaotheoremonprimeswasasimilarcollaboration.Green
isaspecialistinanareacallednumbertheory,andTaooriginallytrainedin
anareacalledharmonicanalysis.Yet,astheytoldme,theproofdepended
ontheinsightsofmanyothermathematicians.Inthegameofdevilschess,
playershavenorealhopeiftheyhaventstudiedthewinninggamesofthe

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=pa

8/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

masters.Aproofestablishesfactsthatcanbeusedinsubsequentproofs,
butitalsooffersasetofmovesandstrategiesthatforcedthedevilto
submitadeviouswaytopinoneofhispiecesorshutdowna
counterattack,oranendgamemovethatsacrificesabishoptogaina
winningposition.Justasachessplayermightexaminevariationsofthe
RuyLopezandKingsIndianDefense,amathematicianmightstudy
particularlycleverapplicationsoftheChineseremaindertheoremorthe
sieveofEratosthenes.Thewiseplayerhasavastrepertoiretodrawon,and
thecraftyplayerintuitsthemovethatsuitsthemoment.
Fortheirwork,TaoandGreensalvagedacrucialbitfromanearlier
proofdonebyothers,whichhadbeendiscardedasincorrect,andaimedat
adifferentgoal.OthermaneuverscamefrommasterfulproofsbyTimothy
GowersofEnglandandEndreSzemerediofHungary.Theirwork,inturn,
reliedoncontributionsfromErdos,KlausRothandFrankRamsey,an
Englishmanwhodiedatage26in1930,andonandon,intohistory.Ask
mathematiciansabouttheirexperienceofthecraft,andmostwilltalkabout
anintensefeelingofintellectualcamaraderie.Averycentralpartofany
mathematicianslifeisthissenseofconnectiontootherminds,alivetoday
andgoingbacktoPythagoras,saidStevenStrogatz,aprofessorof
mathematicsatCornellUniversity.Wearehavingthisconversationwith
eachothergoingoverthemillennia.
TheGreenTaotheoremcaughtthemathematicalcommunityby
surprise,becausethatproblemwasthoughttobemanyyearsfrom
succumbingtoproof.OnthedayIvisitedTao,weatelunchontheoutdoor
patioofthemidcentury
modernfacultycenter.Workingonamodestplate
ofsushi,TaotoldmethatheandGreenhavecontinuedtoworkaroundthe
marginsofthetwinprimeconjecture,ashaveothers,withalotofsuccess
recently.Itishissense,hesaid,thataproofiscloseathand,morethana
centuryandhalfafteritwasfirstarticulated.Maybe10years,hesaid.
ItwasdinnertimewhenIheadedtoTaoshome,awhiteandtan
five
bedroomonthewesternedgeofcampus.Taowasoriginallygoingto
takehis12yearoldson,William,toapianolesson,butWilliamhad

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=pa

9/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

receivedacallbackforaGoGurtcommercial.(Hehasalreadybeenina
Hondaad,inwhichheplayedtheroleofboywhosleepscontentedlyinthe
backseat.)WhileTaoswife,Laura,ferriedWilliamhome,theirdaughter,
Maddy,4,finishedhermealatanislandintheirspaciouskitchen.Shetook
abiteofherdessertacronutandthenclambereddownherstooland
beganrunningfromroomtoroom,armsraised,squealingwithdelight.
Taohasemergedasoneofthefieldsgreatbridge
builders.Atthetime
ofhisFieldsMedal,hehadalreadymadediscoverieswithmorethan30
differentcollaborators.Sincethen,hehasalsobecomeaprolificmath
bloggerwithadecidedlynon
Gaussianebullience:Hecelebratesthework
ofothers,sharesfavoritetricks,documentshisprogressanddelightsatany
correctionsthatfollowinthecomments.Hehasorganizedcooperative
onlineeffortstoworkonproblems.Terryiswhatagreat21st
century
mathematicianlookslike,JordanEllenberg,amathematicianatthe
UniversityofWisconsin,Madison,whohascollaboratedwithTao,toldme.
Heispartofanetwork,alwayscommunicating,alwaysconnectingwhathe
isdoingwithwhatotherpeoplearedoing.
InmyvisitwithTao,Inoticedonlyonewayinwhichheconformsto
themath
professorstereotype:anabsentmindednessthatdatestohis
childhood.Whenhewasaboy,heconstantlylostbooks,evenhisbookbag
heputclothesonbackwardorinsideout,orheneglectedtoputonboth
socks.(ThisiswhyhewearsBirkenstocksnow.Onelessstep,he
explained.)Asheshowedmearoundthehouse,hisgaitwasabitawkward,
asif,atsomelevel,hewasjustnotthatinterestedinwalking.Iaskedtosee
hisoffice,andhepointedoutanunremarkablechamberoffabackhallway.
Hedoesntgetasmuchdonethereasheusedto,hesaidrecently,hehas
beenmostproductiveonflights,whenhehasablockofhoursawayfrom
emailandallthepeoplewhohopeforanaudiencewithhim.
AfterWilliamarrivedhome,withLauratrailingbehind,wesatdown
fordinner:porkchopsintomatosauce,arecipetakenfromahandwritten
collection,itsnotebookcoveremblazonedwithateddybear,thatLaura
receivedasagiftfromTaosmother.Williamwasgregarious.TheGoGurt

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=p

10/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

callbackwentwell.(Heeventuallygotthepart.)Williamhassomeofhis
fathersnaturalfacilityformathematicsasasixthgrader,hetookan
onlinecourseinprecalculusbuthisrealpassionsatthemomentare
writing,particularlyfantasy,andacting,particularlyimprov.Hewasalso
heavyintoMinecraft,thoughhewasannoyedbecausehewashaving
troubleupdatinghishacks.Once,hesaid,heandafriendtriedtohack
mathitselfbyprovingthat1equals0,butthenrealizedthatitisforbidden
todivideby0.Taorolledhiseyes.
Anefforttoprovethat1equals0isnotlikelytoyieldmuchfruit,its
true,butthehackersmindsetcanbeextremelyusefulwhendoingmath.
Longago,mathematiciansinventedanumberthatwhenmultipliedbyitself
equalsnegative1,anideathatseemedtobreakthebasicrulesof
multiplication.Itwassofaroutsidewhatmathematiciansweredoingatthe
timethattheycalleditimaginary.Yetimaginarynumbersproveda
powerfulinvention,andmodernphysicsandengineeringcouldnot
functionwithoutthem.
Earlyencounterswithmathcanbemisleading.Thesubjectseemstobe
aboutlearningruleshowandwhentoapplyancienttrickstoarriveatan
answer.Fourcookiesremaininthecookiejartheballmovesat12.5feet
persecond.Really,though,tobeamathematicianistoexperiment.
Mathematicalresearchisafundamentallycreativeact.Lorehasitthat
whenDavidHilbert,arguablythemostinfluentialmathematicianoffinde
sicleEurope,heardthatacolleaguehadlefttopursuefiction,hequipped:
Hedidnothaveenoughimaginationformathematics.
Mathtrafficsinabstractionstheidea,forexample,thattwoapples
andtwoorangeshavesomethingincommonbutmuchofTaosworkhas
atangibleaspect.Heisdrawntowavesoffluidorlight,orthingsthatcan
becounted,orgeometriesthatyoumightholdinyourmind.Whena
questiondoesnotinitiallyappearinsuchaway,hestrivestotransformit.
Earlyinhiscareer,hestruggledwithaproblemthatinvolvedwaves
rotatingontopofoneanother.Hewantedtocomeupwithamoving
coordinatesystemthatwouldmakethingseasiertosee,somethinglikea

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=p

11/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

virtualSteadi
cam.Sohelaydownonthefloorandrolledbackandforth,
tryingtoseeitinhismindseye.Myauntcaughtmedoingthis,Taotold
me,laughing,andIcouldntexplainwhatIwasdoing.
Taosmostrecentworkinexplodingwaterbeganwhenaprofessor
fromKazakhstanclaimedtohavecompletedaNavier
Stokesproof.After
lookingatit,Taofeltsurethattheproofwasincorrect,buthedecidedto
takethisintuitionastepfurtherandshowthatanyproofusingthe
professorsapproachwassuretofail.Whilehewaswadingthroughthe
proof,askingcolleaguesforhelpintranslatingtheexplanatorytextfrom
theoriginalRussian,hestruckuponthenotionofhisimaginary,self

replicatingwatercontraptiondrawingonideasfromengineeringtomake
progressonaquestioninpuremathematics.
Thefeatisasmuchpsychologicalasmathematical.Manypeoplethink
thatsubstantialprogressonNavier
Stokesmaybeimpossible,andyears
ago,Taotoldme,hewroteablogpostconcurringwiththisview.Nowhe
hassomesmallbitofhope.Thetwinprimeconjecturehadthesamefeel,a
senseofbreakingthroughthewallofintimidationthathasscaredoffmany
aspirants.Outsidetheworldofmathematics,bothNavier
Stokesandthe
twinprimeconjecturearedescribedasproblems.ButforTaoandothersin
thefield,theyaremorelikeopponents.Taosopponenthasbeenknownto
taunthim,convincinghimthatheisoverlookingtheobvious,ortofight
back,makingquickescapeswhennoneshouldbepossible.Nowthe
opponentappearstohaverevealedaweakness.ButTaosaidhehasbeen
herebefore,thinkinghehasfoundawaythroughthedefenses,wheninfact
hewasbeingledintoanambush.Youlearntogetsuspicious,Taosaid.
Youlearntobeonthelookout.
Thisisthethrillofit,andthedread.Thereisashiftingbeneaththe
ground.Thegameisafoot.
GarethCookisaPulitzerPrizewinningjournalist.Helastwroteforthe
magazineabouttheneuroscientistSebastianSeung.
SignupforournewslettertogetthebestofTheNewYorkTimesMagazine

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=p

12/13

7/24/2015

TheSingularMindofTerryTaoTheNewYorkTimes

deliveredtoyourinboxeveryweek.
AversionofthisarticleappearsinprintonJuly26,2015,onpageMM44oftheSunday
Magazinewiththeheadline:H1gh(e)r+Pwer.

2015TheNewYorkTimesCompany

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/26/magazine/thesingularmindofterrytao.html?action=click&contentCollection=magazine&region=rank&module=p

13/13