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It is likely that part of this entry will not have the rigour and precision that a mathematician would demand, because how do you rigorously define the beauty, elegance or depth of an idea? And […]

In the 1930s, a daring group of young French mathematicians, emulating Euclid’s foundational text, began the publication of a magnum opus: the Éléments de Mathématique. The aim was to provide a structured and rigorous presentation […]

We can say that, until the beginning of the 19th century, a surface was seen and studied from the outside, as a two-dimensional object immersed in Euclidean three-dimensional space, like the envelope of a solid […]

In 1942, 80 years ago now, the English mathematician William Henry Young died in Lausanne, who allowed himself to lead a singular life, combining three successive lives. Until the age of 35 he devoted himself […]

In the early 19th century, Sophie Germain (1776-1831) came up with some ideas to try to prove Fermat’s theorem under the hypothesis that \(n\) and \(2n+1\) were both primes. Today these numbers are known as […]

Jean le Rond D’Alembert (1717-1783) belonged to the group of scientists and philosophers, along with Rousseau, Diderot and Voltaire, who paved the way for the political changes that led to the French Revolution. D’Alembert, Rousseau […]

The morning of May 9th 1943 was particularly harsh in Palermo because of the intensity of the bombing raids by American aircrafts. Allied troops had landed in Sicily a few months earlier and were seeking […]

It is no exaggeration to say that in the eight centuries since the birth of King Alfonso X, his scientific patronage is what has brought him most recognition. The king’s work went beyond mere patronage […]

The measurement of the world is a subject that has been addressed by great mathematicians since ancient times. For example, Eratosthenes, applying his knowledge of geometry, measured the radius of the Earth (you can read […]

One of the most influential mathematicians, if not the most influential, of the first half of the 16th century was Gerolamo Cardano. He exemplifies well what it meant to be a “Renaissance genius” – as […]