Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

The biggest mystery in mathematics: Shinichi Mochizuki and the impenetrable proof

A Correction to this article was published on 21 October 2015

This article has been updated

A Japanese mathematician claims to have solved one of the most important problems in his field. The trouble is, hardly anyone can work out whether he's right.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Change history

  • 07 October 2015

    An earlier version of this story incorrectly located the University of Antwerp in the Netherlands. It is in Belgium. The text has been updated.

  • 15 October 2015

    An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Shinichi Mochizuki estimated that it would take an expert 500 hours to understand his proof. In fact, this was Ivan Fesenko’s estimate. The story also stated that Fesenko warned Mochizuki against speaking to the press, but this was not part of their discussion. The text has been modified accordingly.

Authors

Additional information

Tweet Facebook LinkedIn weibo

Related links

Related links

Related links in Nature Research

Alexander Grothendieck (1928–2014) 2015-Jan-14

First proof that infinitely many prime numbers come in pairs 2013-May-14

Proof claimed for deep connection between primes 2012-Sep-10

Mathematics: The reluctant celebrity 2004-Jan-29

Related external links

RIMS

“IUT Theory of Shinichi Mochizuki” Clay Mathematics Institute workshop

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Castelvecchi, D. The biggest mystery in mathematics: Shinichi Mochizuki and the impenetrable proof. Nature 526, 178–181 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/526178a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/526178a

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing