400-year-old mathematic problem solved by greengrocers
<p>Is your greengrocer smarter than a mathematician? When it comes to one 400-year-old maths problem, it seems the answer is “yes”. The Kepler conjecture is a puzzle that’s stumped some of the world’s greatest minds for centuries, and it seems the answer lies with your local fruit and veg stacker.</p>
<p>Named after 17th-century mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler, the Kepler conjecture is a mathematical theorem about spheres and how they can be packed as densely as possible. In a 1611 essay, he used the example of a pomegranate, and the way in which its seeds were stacked inside.</p>
<p>Now, it seems, the answer to one of the world’s longest-lasting mathematical conundrums may have lied with the humble greengrocer all along.</p>
<p>A solution to the problem, first devised in 1998 but only published last week, came after years of complex computational verification. “The verdict of the referees was that the proof seemed to work, but they just did not have the time or energy to verify everything comprehensively,” Henry Cohn, editor of <em>Forum of Mathematics, Pi</em>, said of the initial publishing attempt by Professor Thomas Hales, the discoverer of the proof.</p>
<p>“The proof was published in 2005, and no irreparable flaws were ever identified, but it was an unsatisfactory situation that the proof was seemingly beyond the ability of the mathematics community to check thoroughly."</p>
<p>“To address this situation and establish certainty, Hales turned to computers, using techniques of formal verification. This paper is the result of their completed work.”</p>
<p>Want to read the full paper? Click <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/forum-of-mathematics-pi/article/formal-proof-of-the-kepler-conjecture/78FBD5E1A3D1BCCB8E0D5B0C463C9FBC" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here</span></strong></a>.</p>
