He left 94 percent of his own wealth for a prize. These awards will be given for contributions in physics, chemistry, medicine, peace, and literature. Can it be called atoning?
image credit: pixabay.com, Author: IsaacFryxelius_CC0 Public Domain Later, in 1968, Sweden's Central Bank and The Rix Bank on the occasion of celebrating their 300th anniversary, they donated a huge amount of money to the Nobel Foundation for another award in the economy. Basically, this is not the Nobel Prize, because Nobel has not started this prize, yet this award is also considered as the Nobel Prize.
Physics, chemistry, medical science - all come under the Nobel Prize, but very important field which is excluded from the Nobel prize and that is Mathematics. But mathematics is called to be the language of science. Although the mathematicians did not get the prize, they did not step out of their work. Scientists certainly want recognition for their own work. But they generally don't do any work for recognition.
Although it's not possible for scientists to pay their cost of work or repay their debt. Only it's possible to give them some recognition for their work or contribution. And all the people of science branches will get the recognition, but mathematicians will not get it, what will it be like? In view of this, the Norwegian government introduced a new prize in 2002. It was named after the mathematician Niels Henrik Abel, The Abel Prize.
Some people think that this name has been chosen in conformity with Nobel's name. But there is no reason to believe in this fact. Because there is no historical evidence in this fact. However, who is this Niels Henrik Abel? In whose name the mathematicians are being honored?
NielsHenrikAbel, image credit: commons.wikimedia.org, Author: Em. Bærentzen & Co. Lithographiske Institut_ Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Niels Henrik Abel was a Norwegian mathematician who made pioneering contributions in a variety of fields. He was born on August 5, 1802. He has done a very important job in multiple branches of modern mathematics.
Niels Henrik Abel's father was a poor Lutheran priest. They lived in a town of Southern Norway. In 1815 at the age of 13, Niels admitted into Oslo Cathedral School. After, Two years later, a new mathematical teacher, Bernt Michael Holmboe, joined the school. He was the first to recognize Abel's mathematical talent. He introduced Abel to mathematics with all the classic books, problems, etc. Isaac Newton, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Leonhard Euler - Abel has studied enough for everyone. Then he started his own research.
After his father's death in 1804, his family fell into mourning. Then Bernt Michael Holmboe comes to help Abel. He helped Abel from his own financially, he also collected some funds for Abel. Then in 1821, Abel admitted into Oslo University of Christiania. After in 1822 he achieved Preliminary Degree. With the help of Holmboe, he continued his studies and researcher works.
Stamps of Norway for the remembrance of Niels Henrik Abel, image credit: commons.wikimedia.org, Author: Post of Norway_ Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
In 1823 Abel’s first papers published, which were on Functional Equations and Integrals. At that time he was very poor in the economic direction. Then Abel's friends appealed to the Norwegian government, to grant him a fellowship for study in Germany and France. But he realized that the answer to that appealed would be delayed. Meanwhile, he has proved an important mathematical problem (The General Equation of Fifth Degree) which can never be solved by algebraically. Also, he revealed it on his own cost. This proof was sent to the famous mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss of that time. In spite of seeing it, Gauss did not understand the fact that the world's famous mathematical problem had indeed been settled. So he rejected this. After, mathematicians realized that Abel's contributed to mathematics!
In 1826, Abel went to Paris and this time Paris was the world center for mathematics. He also got the opportunity to work with all mathematicians. He wrote a very important paper on the theory of integrals of algebraic functions. As a result, Abel's theorem was formed. Based on this, the theory of Abelian Integrals and Abelian functions was later developed. Simply put, a whole branch of math has been created by the hand of this man. But it did not fulfill his purpose. He could not make any permanent arrangement for himself.
Niels Henrik Abel memorial in Gjerstad, image credit: commons.wikimedia.org, Author: Torgrim111_ Creative Commons Attribution
So, Abel came back to Norway with a heavy burden of debt and was attacked by Tuberculosis. But he was not disappointed. In 1828 started teaching in the University of Christina.
Poverty or illness cannot move him away from his work. During this time, he did a lot of work with Equation Theory and Elliptic Function, also he wrote several papers. With competing with famous mathematician Carl Gustav Jacob Jacobi, he has advanced the theory of elliptic function far enough. At that time, Abel's fame began to spread worldwide. A group of scientists from the French Academy tried hard to provide him for something permanent. This time, they also talked about Abel with the Norwegian king. But Abel became very sick in those days. Shortly after this, in 1828, one of the best mathematicians in the world, Niels Henrik Abel got died.
On the occasion of his 100th birth anniversary, in 1902, Norwegian mathematician Sophus Lie proposed to introduce a prize. But in 1899, Sophus Lie got died. In 1902 King Oscar II revived again said about the award. But the separation of Sweden and Norway, its impact on the economy, and even the established an annual mathematics prize were not done.
However, Abel's topic return was repeatedly round the clock. So the mathematicians have always remembered him with full respect. That is why in 2002 again when the Abel Prize was announced, the International Mathematical Union and all mathematicians of that time gave it 100 percent support. The Abel prize worth about $1 million announced. The Abel prize is also recognized as the biggest award in mathematics.
Nobel prizes are given in other branches of science, but since the math is not offered for Nobel prizes, that's why people called it The Nobel in mathematics. However, in reality, there is no relation between the two prizes. In 2003, Jean Pierre Serre got the first Abel Prize for work on Algebraic Topology. The following year, 21-year-old mathematician Sir Michael Atiyah got this award for topology. Fifth-year This award is given for the best work of math.
In 2019 a woman has received this award For the first time in this year. His name, Karen Keskulla Uhlenbeck and she has got awards for his significant contribution in Geometric Partial Differential Equation, Gauge Theory, and Integrable systems.
Where Nobel is trying to avoid the notoriety of the merchant of death is dead, there Abel was a true mathematician and he did not think so much of his life expectancy. He worked because of love for mathematics and he has always tried to highlight mathematics worldwide. Still, the mathematicians do not get the chance to be honored with a legend like the Nobel Prize. Their name does not turn around or the face of the people But they themselves do silence and these selfless people are acknowledged to be like them, just as another wonderful mathematician remembers. Precision recognition is to say the same.
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