Friday, February 8, 2008

Israeli solves insolvable math problem

"A 63-year-old mathematics professor at Bar-Ilan University, who worked as a guard for about five years after his aliya from the former Soviet Union in 1990, has solved an abstract math problem that has befuddled experts for the last 38 years.

Prof. Avraham Trakhtman finally found the solution, which will be published in a few months in the Israel Journal of Mathematics, solely by tossing it around in his brain and using a pencil and paper. His research, which has already been placed on a Web site for professionals and is available for download, has elicited much excitement among mathematicians in the esoteric field."

He could have published his solution in any mathematical journal, apparently, but he chose an Israeli journal on purpose because he is a Zionist. This solution may help produce better information technology, like tracking lost email messages.

Yet another contribution to the world from Israel!

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