An Italian Mathematician Wins the Fields Medal Again

Figalli was awarded “for research in optimal transport theory, which deals with the most economical way to transport objects from one place to another, and studies on partial derived equations and probability", his studies have allowed to refine the mathematical understanding of various things: from the form of crystals to meteorology, passing by the way in which ice melts in water.

The idea was born in the 18th century with Gaspard Monge, a mathematical to which Napoleon Bonaparte asked to optimize the transport of materials for fortifications.

In Italian eating there is a long tradition of study of what are called “minimum surfaces” (or minimal), which are forms that minimize a certain amount. The circle is a simple example of a minimum surface, since it is the shape that minimizes the perimeter required to enclose a certain area. The minimum surfaces appear in many fields of mathematics. They are also familiar in everyday life.

We think of a soap bubble: it stretches and waves as it inflates from the wand, but after detaching it settles in the form of a sphere. The reason is for soap film, the sphere is the most stable form: It is the form that occupies the least quantity of surface and therefore requires less energy for its maintenance. Crystals are another minimal form.

They are as they seem: symmetrical and polygonal, because for crystalline materials this is the form that uses the least amount of energy.

The Fields Medals were established in 1936 and named in honor of Canadian mathematician John Charles Fields, who financed a fund for their assignment.