TIME AND THE NUMBER THEORIST

Balancing Life and Science

"Mathematics is conceived as an austere subject, founded by Plato, Archimedes, and others, consisting of perfect circles, cones, postulates, and theorems which are independant of people and don't care whether they get discovered. But for the mathematician, the 'Platonic truths' model is entirely inadequate, because the style of mathematics changes over time, in the same way that art, literature and music change. I think non-mathematicians would be surprised at the degree to which mathematicians interact and influence each other in acquiring perspective and directing the flow of new research. In fact, there is a whole category of results of the type well-known to experts for quite some time which cannot be attributed to any particular individual, but somehow got proven in conversation and passed on by word of mouth."
-Antonia Bluher

Mathematician Antonia Bluher and her son. Currently she works at the National Security Agency in Washington D.C.