Riemann Hypothesis Proven?

mikesgt2

I thought people may be interested in this: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/06/040609070717.htm.

Reply 1

It'sPhil...

2

mikesgt2

I thought people may be interested in this: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/06/040609070717.htm.

It'll be interesting to see if the 'proof' holds up to close scrutiny or if it fundamentally flawed. If it is a genuine proof this is quite a momentus occasion - bigger than fermats last theorem

Reply 2

shiny

12

I don't get zeta functions?! :confused:

Reply 3

k@tie

10

shiny

I don't get zeta functions?! :confused:

but think how many people have claimed to prove reemann in the past....

Reply 4

k@tie

10

Katie Heskins

but think how many people have claimed to prove reemann in the past....

lol I just read the article...
anyone ever read dr riemanns zeros? Louis de branges features in half the book! He's said he's proved it before.

Reply 5

mikesgt2

OP

There are a number of unsuccessful proofs listed here: http://www.maths.ex.ac.uk/~mwatkins/zeta/RHproofs.htm.

Clearly I know nothing about the validity of this proposed proof, but it does seem that at the current time there is no independant scrutiny to suggest that this is indeed a correct proof.

Also, I really don't understand the zeta function. It is defined as

zeta(s) = SUM{n=1 -> infinity} 1/n^s

and I know some of the famous results: zeta(2) = pi^2/6, zeta(4) = pi^4/90, ... However, it apparantly has trivial zeros at negative even numbers. This does not make sense to me since we have for example

zeta(-4) = 0
SUM{n=1 -> infinity} 1/n^(-4) = 0
SUM{n=1 -> infinity} n^4 = 0
1^4 + 2^4 + 3^4 + 4^4 + ... = 0

but surely the left hand side is infinity. It just seems to me to be absurd, am I missing somthing?

Reply 6

musicbloke

17

Imagine if it's wrong. twenty oddd years work down the drain.

MB

Reply 7

mikesgt2

OP

It'sPhil...

It'll be interesting to see if the 'proof' holds up to close scrutiny or if it fundamentally flawed. If it is a genuine proof this is quite a momentus occasion - bigger than fermats last theorem

I don't think this is bigger than FLT. For me, FLT is a lot more compelling problem, it is easy to understand rather than an abstract area of number theory. But, I certainly agree that it is a momentus occasion if it is indeed proven.

Reply 8

musicbloke

17

who judges whether the proof is correct? when does he get his $1000000? If he's proved wrong does he have to give the money back?

MB

Reply 9

mikesgt2

OP

musicboy

who judges whether the proof is correct? when does he get his $1000000? If he's proved wrong does he have to give the money back?

I am not entirely sure. However, I heard that the $1,000,000 is not given out until the proof has been rigorously checked over a period of 2 years. In other words, they do not give out the money easily.