Nobel Prize and Mathematics

“Contentment is the only real wealth”

These are the words of the famous Swedish inventor, Alfred Nobel. Everyone knows this man, and if not him, then obviously his famous “Nobel Prize”. It is the dream of every budding scientist to receive the most coveted Nobel Prize. 

Nobel Prize is awarded to the people who have contributed greatly to mankind through their research and work. The Nobel organisation minutely identifies how the individual has benefited mankind and if their work is worthy enough. It includes outstanding contributions for humanity in chemistry, literature, peace, physics, and physiology or medicine. Marie Curie, Rabindranath Tagore, Amartya Sen, and Malala Yousafzai are few of those many people who have been honoured with the Nobel Prize. 

Have a look at the two amazing ladies who took away the Nobel Prize in Chemistry this year!

Nobel Prize for Mathematicians

But did you ever wonder that none of the mathematicians ever got this prize? Well, yes, there is no Nobel Prize in mathematics. There is no Nobel Prize for mathematics, but many mathematicians have won the prize, most commonly for physics but occasionally for economics, and in one case for literature. 

It might sound ridiculous to many people as mathematics is literally one of the most important subjects and is spread across all fields. This question has been popping up in the minds of people for years. The notable omission of this award has been studied by quite a lot of people and multiple theories have been revealed. 

Below are a few theories that have been going on for years:

• Personal Reasons 

It is said that Alfred Nobel proposed a woman and she rejected him because she was (cheating him) with a famous mathematician. Gosta Mittag-Leffler is often claimed to be the person with whom she was cheating on Nobel. Although, there is no historical evidence to support the story. There is no evidence that Mittag-Leffler had much contact with Alfred Nobel, still less that there was animosity between them for whatever reason. Of all the theories, this is the easiest to dismiss, for the simple reason that Nobel never had a wife. 

It seems hardly likely that he would have undertaken this if there was prior bad blood between them. Rumours about Nobel’s dislike for a contemporary mathematician Gosta Mittag-Leffler, who founded the leading mathematical journal Acta Mathematica and persuaded King Oscar II to create the math award, made him exclude math because he did not want the award and the money to go to a man he didn’t care for.

• Interest in the subject 

Nobel’s own work was in physics and chemistry. He was interested in literature, and medicine was beginning to come of age at the turn of the last century. The peace prize was included to improve his public image as a “merchant of death” for inventing dynamite. 

Math was of no interest or benefit to him. He didn't care much for mathematics, and that simply because he was not particularly interested in mathematics or theoretical science. too theoretical and not bothered to go into its practical application.

• View regarding the subject: It is often said that Nobel viewed mathematics as merely a tool used in the sciences and in engineering, not as a body of human intellectual achievement in its own right. He also did not single out biology, possibly likewise regarding it as just a tool for medicine, a not unreasonable view to have in the late 19th century. Mathematics was not considered a practical science from which humanity could benefit (a chief purpose for creating the Nobel Foundation) 

If Not a Nobel Prize, Then What?

1. Fields Medal 

It is commonly described as the “Nobel prize for Math”, the award for Outstanding Discoveries in Mathematics! It is awarded once every four years to up to four mathematicians under the age of 40 at the International Congress of Mathematicians. The Fields Medal is a good indicator of current fertile areas of mathematical research, as the winners have generally made contributions that opened up whole fields or integrated technical ideas and tools from a wide variety of disciplines.

2. The Abel Prize 

This award named after the Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel was created in 2001. It is awarded by the King of Norway, which leads to parallels being drawn to the Nobel Prize. The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters declares the winner in March each year.

The main purpose of the fund is to award an international prize for “outstanding scientific work in the field of mathematics.” The prize is also intended to help raise the status of mathematics in society and to stimulate the interest of young people in mathematics. This article by Devlin’s Angle provides more information about the Abel Prize.

3. The Chern Medal Award 

The Chern Medal Award is a joint effort of the International Mathematical Union (IMU) and the Chern Medal Foundation (CMF). The Chern Medal recognizes lifetime achievement in mathematics and, like the Fields Medal, is awarded once every four years at the International Congress of Mathematicians. 

Conclusion

Mathematics is a diverse field and acts as a tool for each and every subject. Still, there persists a phobia of maths, especially among young children. Multiple programmes and tasks are being taken up by organizations to eradicate this fear and motivate kids to know and learn maths in a fun and simple way. These awards and recognitions act as a motivation for budding mathematicians and give them a sense of direction!

Want to know more about the honoured Nobel Prize? This article on  “All you need to know about Nobel Prize” covers it all!

Written By - Riya Garg

Edited By - Neha Kundu