Mathematics Breakthrough Prize

Mathematics

“All is number,” taught Pythagoras. Though modern mathematics encompasses far more than numbers alone, the principle remains true. Mathematics is the universal language of nature.

Mathematics is also fundamental to the growth of knowledge, as it is the scaffolding that supports all the sciences. Its relationship to physics is particularly intimate. From imaginary numbers to Hilbert spaces, what once seemed pure abstractions have turned out to underlie real physical processes. In addition, all fields in the life sciences today utilize the power of statistical and computational approaches to research.

The mathematics prizes reward significant discoveries across the many branches of the subject. They were founded by Yuri Milner and are funded by grants from the foundations established by Yuri and Julia Milner.