Scientist Abel Nils Henrik: Biography

Nils Abel Henrik is one of the most outstanding mathematicians of all mankind. He was born in the Finnish town of Finney in the family of a pastor. His mother came from a merchant family. When Niels was one year old, the family moved to the city of Gierrestad.

Childhood Abel

The childhood of the future mathematician could not be called happy: his health was weak, and his parents constantly drank and swore. In 1815, Abel Nils Henrik entered the Oslo cathedral school. The family of the future mathematician was very poor, so Abel was in a full-boarding school. At first he was not distinguished from the general mass of schoolchildren. At the same time, the teacher of mathematics at that time in school was a very cruel man who beat up pupils. Abel's ability to mathematics was first noticed by a teacher named Bert Michael Holmboe.

Teacher and pupil

Bert was very interested in mathematics, was good at students and also knew how to motivate them. Holmboe discouraged those who worked independently. It was thanks to him that Abel first became seriously interested in science. The teacher recalled that Abel studied the course of mathematics with ardor, which can be inherent only to a genius. Holmboye greatly encouraged Abel's desire to study, and also allowed him to use publications from his own library. In a very short time, Abel was already familiar with the basics of mathematics. At his own request, the future scientist literally "swallowed" the work of Gauss, Lacroix, Poisson and Lagrange.

A riddle of interest to mathematicians

The next two years, with special optimism, Abel is taken to solve the most difficult problems in mathematics. One of these mysteries has long attracted scientists. These were equations of the fifth degree, and also equations of higher degrees. For simpler equations, the formulas have been known for a long time. The rule for solving equations of the fourth degree was discovered by the mathematician Ferrari, the third - by Gerolamo Cardano.

However, no one could advance further. Despite this, the scientific community was confident in the principle of solving the problem. Scientists believed that it is sufficient to compose a special combination of coefficients and radicals in order to learn how to solve these equations. However, a century has passed since the century, scientists have dedicated whole lives to this task, but it remained unsolved.

Life at the university and the help of teachers

In 1820, Abel's family experiences a tragedy: his father dies. His mother, sister and six brothers remain practically in poverty. In 1821, Niels Henrik Abel entered the university. There, his talent is also noticed by the teachers, and they decide to create a scholarship for the poor but incredibly gifted student, so as not to lose his gift for science. Despite the difficulties and his melancholic nature, Abel was always friendly and comfortable with all students, practically without enemies. Mathematics was so interesting to him that he could spend 24 hours a day practicing, leading himself to physical exhaustion.

In the winter of 1822-1823 Abel Nils Henrik wrote the first serious scientific work. He was concerned with the integrability of differential equations. As a reward, he was awarded a state prize.

Neither the head of the university, nor the Norwegian government, did not overlook the brilliant talent that Abel Nils Henrik possessed. In the summer of 1823, Abel has the opportunity for the first time to travel abroad. With the help of the funds collected by the university professor, Abel went to Copenhagen. Traveling, a mathematician gets acquainted with other outstanding minds of the time: O. Cauchy, A. Legendre and others. And in 1825 he was sent to Germany, where his monthly allowance was 3168 francs.

In 1826 Abel's article was published, which described the process of solving equations of the fifth degree. This event immediately made him one of the greatest mathematicians in the world. However, the next work of the scientist, which was transferred to Cauchy for review, was lost in his papers. Cauchy could find Abel's work only after the death of the scientist. If this had not happened, Abel could have been awarded a great academic prize during his lifetime. Since this did not happen, he spent the rest of his life in extreme need.

Further work

In Berlin, Abel meets another researcher - A. Krell, who begins to publish a mathematical journal. After successful work in Berlin, Abel Nils Henrik returns to his homeland - to Christiania. There he began to be interested in questions of algebraic equations. For all this time, about ten scientific articles on mathematics are published, the authorship of which belongs to Abel. In 1826, at a meeting of the French Academy of Sciences, Niels Henrik Abel presented a report on transcendental functions in mathematics. His speech remains intentionally overlooked by French scientists, it received its recognition only after the death of a mathematician.

Deterioration of health and other problems

Then Abel goes on a second trip around Europe. He visits the cities of Dresden, Prague, Venice, Paris and others. But this trip can not be called a tourist one: at that time the scientist Abel Nils Henrik works very hard. He opens 6 mathematical theorems. However, at this time, he is also experiencing failures: the scientist's manuscripts are lost, money ends, and the state of health worsens. The scientist does not receive permanent earnings.

In 1828, he received a membership of the Royal Academy of Sciences - and this is the only recognition that Abel Nils Henrik receives during his lifetime. A photo on a Norwegian banknote worth 500 kronor, which was used until 2002 - a reverence, to which the scientist was already awarded posthumously.

In illness and need meets the year 1828 mathematician Abel Nils Henrik. His biography ends tragically: he falls ill, and doctors suspect the mathematician of tuberculosis. In December of the same year the scientist goes to the city of Florand, where his wife worked. During the trip, the scientist picks up a strong cold. Severe pneumonia and tuberculosis did their job, and on April 6, 1829, when the scientist was only 26, his life was cut short.

Abel's achievements

The solution of equations of the fifth degree is one of the most important discoveries in mathematics that Abel Nils Henrik accomplished. His achievements also consist in the discovery of many theorems. He also investigated several algebraic functions. This line of research led Abel to the discovery of the theory of hyperelliptic functions. A number of important works of Abel Nils Henrik concern the theory of series.

The Abel Prize

Since mathematicians do not receive the Nobel Prize, in 2002 the government of Norway created a special prize for them, called Abel. Since 2003, it has been awarded every year to outstanding modern mathematicians. Its monetary equivalent is just under one million US dollars. This prize was created not only to reward worthy researchers, but also to popularize mathematics among the younger generation. Among its laureates are such scientists as Lennart Carleson, John G. Thompson, Mikhail Gromov, Jean-Pierre Serre. Also the Russian scientist Jacob Sinai became the laureate of the Abel Prize. He received the award for his contribution to the study of dynamical systems, ergodic theory and mathematical physics.