Patterns in the Primes
Presidential Lectures are a series of free public colloquia spotlighting groundbreaking research across four themes: neuroscience and autism science, physics, biology, and mathematics and computer science. These curated, high-level scientific talks feature leading scientists and mathematicians and are designed to foster discussion and drive discovery within the New York City research community. We invite those interested in these topics to join us for this weekly lecture series.
Whole numbers are made up of a product of prime numbers, much like molecules are made up of atoms. Prime numbers are the fundamental constituent parts of whole numbers, and each whole number equals its own unique product of primes, like DNA identifies an individual. Prime numbers have always been an important area of study for mathematicians, as will be discussed in this talk.
Prime numbers have intrigued mathematicians, amateur and professional alike, for thousands of years. Some of the most pertinent questions today probably stem from classical times. In this lecture, Dr. Granville will discuss some well-known patterns in the primes and explain some of the latest progress. The latest research makes headway into some of the oldest conundrums, often using methods that are quite surprising.