View source for Main Page

{{RightTOC}}
This is the wiki for ''polymath'' projects - massively collaborative online mathematical projects.  The idea of such projects originated in Tim Gowers' blog post [http://gowers.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/is-massively-collaborative-mathematics-possible/ Is massively collaborative mathematics possible?]

Many polymath projects will be proposed, planned, and run at [http://polymathprojects.org/ This Blog].

A Polymath [[logo]] is being trialled.  If you have more suggestions, please add them to the [[logo]] page, or add to the discussion at [[Talk:logo]].

The wiki is currently locked down due to a major influx of spam (July 29, 2013).  Please email mn@michaelnielsen.org if you'd like an account set up, and I'll do my best to reply quickly. 

== Existing polymath projects ==

* [[Polymath1]]: New proofs and bounds for the density Hales-Jewett theorem.  Initiated Feb 1, 2009; research results have now been published.
* [[Definable Banach Spaces|Polymath2]]: Must an “explicitly defined” Banach space contain <math>c_0</math> or <math>l_p</math>?  Initiated Feb 17, 2009; attempts to relaunch via wiki, June 9 2010.
* [[imo 2009 q6|Mini-polymath1]]: Solving Problem 6 of the 2009 International Mathematical Olympiad.  Initiated July 20, 2009; five proofs obtained so far.
* [[The polynomial Hirsch conjecture|Polymath3]].  The polynomial Hirsch conjecture.  Proposed July 17, 2009; launched, September 30, 2010.  
* [[finding primes|Polymath4]]: A deterministic way to find primes.  Proposed July 27, 2009; launched Aug 9, 2009.  Research results have been accepted for publication.
* [[The Erd&#337;s discrepancy problem|Polymath5]]: The Erd&#337;s discrepancy problem. Proposed Jan 10, 2010; launched Jan 19, 2010.
* [[imo 2010|Mini-polymath2]]: Solving Problem 5 the 2010 International Mathematical Olympiad.  Proposed Jun 12, 2010; launched and solved, Jul 8 2010.
* [[Improving the bounds for Roth's theorem|Polymath6]]: Improving the bounds for Roth's theorem. Proposed Feb 5, 2011.
* [[imo 2011|Mini-polymath3]]: Solving a problem from the 2011 International Mathematical Olympiad.  Proposed Jun 9, 2011; launched and solved, Jul 19, 2011.
* [[imo 2012|Mini-polymath4]]: Solving a problem from the 2012 International Mathematical Olympiad.  Proposed, Jun 3, 2012; launched, July 12 2012.
* [[The hot spots conjecture|Polymath7]]:  Establishing the Hot Spots conjecture for acute-angled triangles.  Proposed, May 31st, 2012; launched, Jun 8, 2012.
* [[Bounded gaps between primes|Polymath8]]: Improving the bounds for small gaps between primes.  Proposed, June 4, 2013; launched, June 4, 2013.
* [[Discretized Borel Determinacy and P=NP|Polymath9]]: exploring Borel determinacy-based methods for giving complexity bounds.  Proposed, Oct 24, 2013; launched, Nov 3, 2013.

== Polymath-like projects ==

* [http://portonmath.tiddlyspace.com/ "Theory of singularities" research attempt] in the form of a TiddleSpace wiki.
* [http://theses.portonvictor.org/node/2 Mathematics research projects]
* Scott Aaronson's "philomath project": "[http://scottaaronson.com/blog/?p=453 Sensitivity vs. Block sensitivity]" (see also [http://mathoverflow.net/questions/31482/the-sensitivity-of-2-colorings-of-the-d-dimensional-integer-lattice this Math Overflow question]).  Launched Jul 13, 2010.
* A wiki page clearinghouse for the [[Deolalikar P vs NP paper]].  Launched Aug 10, 2010.
* <del>[http://researchtrends.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Math Research Trends Wiki] "research in the middle"</del> This project is recommended to be discontinued in favor of <b>[http://portonmath.wordpress.com/2013/03/23/collaborative-research/ collaborative research at PlanetMath]</b>.
* The page for the [[ABC conjecture]] contains links and information about Mochizuki's claimed proof of this conjecture.

== Proposed polymath projects ==

* [http://gilkalai.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/an-open-discussion-and-polls-around-roths-theorem/ The cap set problem].  Proposed March 25, 2009 (see also these [http://gilkalai.wordpress.com/2009/05/11/around-the-cap-set-problem-b/ two] [http://gilkalai.wordpress.com/2009/05/18/the-cap-set-problem-and-frankl-rodl-theorem-c/ followup] posts).
* [[Boshernitzan’s problem]].  Proposed July 27, 2009.
* [http://gowers.wordpress.com/2009/09/16/possible-future-polymath-projects/ Possible future polymath projects].  Discussion opened September 16, 2009.
* [http://rjlipton.wordpress.com/2011/05/12/a-possible-polymath-project/ A possible polymath project:] Proposal by Richard Lipton to attack a conjecture due to Erdos, about a class of Diophantine equations.

A (partial) list of proposed projects can be found [http://polymathprojects.org/category/polymath-proposals/ here].

If you have a tentative proposal for a polymath project, you can either make a post on it on your own blog, or place it [[other proposed projects|here]].

== Discussions about polymath ==

* [http://gowers.wordpress.com/2009/01/27/is-massively-collaborative-mathematics-possible/ Is massively collaborative mathematics possible?] Tim Gowers, January 27, 2009.
* [http://lucatrevisan.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/a-peoples-history-of-mathematics/ A people's history of mathematics] Luca Trevisan, February 1, 2009.
* [http://michaelnielsen.org/blog/?p=553 The polymath project] Michael Nielsen, February 3, 2009.
* [http://www.neverendingbooks.org/index.php/yet-another-math20-proposal.html Yet another math 2.0 proposal] Lieven le Bruyn, February 11, 2009.
* [http://gowers.wordpress.com/2009/03/10/polymath1-and-open-collaborative-mathematics/ Polymath1 and open collaborative mathematics] Tim Gowers, March 10, 2009.
* [http://maxwelldemon.com/2009/03/14/polymath/ Polymath] Edmund Harriss, March 14, 2009.
* [http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/03/18/194228 Massive open collaboration in mathematics declared a success] Slashdot, March 18, 2009.
* [http://michaelnielsen.org/blog/?p=581 How changing the technology of collaboration can change the nature of collaboration] Michael Nielsen, March 18, 2009.
* [http://michaelnielsen.org/blog/?p=584 The polymath project: scope of participation] Michael Nielsen, March 20, 2009.
* [http://gowers.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/can-polymath-be-scaled-up/ Can polymath be scaled up?] Tim Gowers, March 24, 2009.
* [http://whatisresearch.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/concluding-notes-on-the-polymath-project-and-a-challenge/ Concluding notes on the polymath project - and a challenge] Vilpulniak, March 24, 2009.
* [http://michaelnielsen.org/blog/on-scaling-up-the-polymath-project/ On scaling up the polymath project] Michael Nielsen, March 25, 2009.
* [http://numberwarrior.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/a-gentle-introduction-to-the-polymath-project/ A gentle introduction to the polymath project] Jason Dyer, March 25, 2009.
* [http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/iandouglas/9656357/tim_gowers_and_the_polymaths/ Tim Gowers and the polymaths] Ian Douglas (the Telegraph), April 29, 2009
* [http://terrytao.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/imo-2009-q6-mini-polymath-project-impressions-reflections-analysis/ IMO 2009 Q6 as mini-polymath project: impressions, reflections, analysis] Terence Tao, July 22, 2009.
* [http://polymathprojects.org/2009/07/27/selecting-the-next-polymath-project/ Selecting the next polymath project] Terence Tao, July 27, 2009.
* [http://blog.jonudell.net/2009/07/31/polymath-equals-user-innovatio/ Polymath equals user innovation] Jon Udell, July 31, 2009.
* [http://scienceblogs.com/christinaslisrant/2009/08/an_overview_of_the_polymath_pr.php An overview of the polymath project] Christina Pikas, August 1, 2009 
* [http://whatisresearch.wordpress.com/2009/08/09/collaborative-mathematics-etc/ Collaborative mathematics etc.] Vipulniak, August 9, 2009
* [http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v461/n7266/full/461879a.html Massively collaborative mathematics] Tim Gowers, Michael Nielsen, Nature, October 15, 2009
* [http://portonmath.wordpress.com/2009/10/25/collaborative-research-of-filters/ Collaborative math research – a real example] Victor Porton, October 24, 2009
* [http://whatisresearch.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/polymath-again/ Polymath again] Vipulniak, October 26, 2009
* [http://www.kennislink.nl/publicaties/wiskunde-met-zijn-allen Wiskunde met zijn allen] (Dutch), Alex van den Brandhof, Kennislink, November 12, 2009
* [http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/50532/title/Mathematics_by_collaboration Mathematics by collaboration], Julie Rehmeyer, ScienceNews, December 8, 2009
* [http://www.nytimes.com/projects/magazine/ideas/2009/#m Massively Collaborative Mathematics], Jordan Ellenberg, The Ninth Annual Year in Ideas, New York Times, 2009.
* [http://www.hypios.com/thinking/2010/01/13/massively-collaborative-mathematics-lessons-from-polymath1/ Massively Collaborative Mathematics: lessons from polymath1], Hypios, Jan 13 2010
* [http://ths1104.wordpress.com/2010/02/13/open-reflexions-sur-fond-de-polymaths/ Open réflexions sur fond de Polymaths] (French), ths1104, Feb 13 2010
* [http://www.javiertordable.com/blog/2010/02/25/collaborative-mathematics-future-of-science Collaborative Mathematics and The Future of Science] Javier Tordable, February 26 2010
* [http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=problem-solved-tic-tac-toe-blog Problem Solved, LOL: A Complex Tic-Tac-Toe Puzzle Falls Thanks to Blog Comments] Davide Castelvecchi, Scientific American, March 17 2010
* [http://www.thebigquestions.com/2010/04/08/blogging-tic-tac-toe-and-the-future-of-math/ Blogging, Tic Tac Toe, and the Future of Math] Steve Landsburg, The Big Questions, April 4 2010
* [http://www.siam.org/news/news.php?issue=0043.03 Massively Collaborative Mathematics] Julie Rehmeyer, SIAM News, Volume 43(3), April 2010 (to appear)
* [http://www.princeton.edu/~mbarany/publications.html#WikiSymPolymath  `But this is blog maths and we're free to make up conventions as we go along': Polymath1 and the Modalities of `Massively Collaborative Mathematics.'] Michael Barany,  Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Wikis and Open Collaboration, Gdansk, Poland, 2010.
* [http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~jcransh/papers/cranshaw_kittur.pdf J. Cranshaw and A. Kittur. The Polymath Project: Lessons from a successful online collaboration in mathematics]. In Proceedings of the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Vancouver, BC, Canada, May 2011.
* [http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21028113.900-how-to-build-the-global-mathematics-brain.html How to build the global mathematics brain], Jacob Aron, New Scientist, 4 May 2011.
* [http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21028112.900-mathematics-becomes-more-sociable.html Mathematics becomes more sociable], New Scientist, 5 May 2011.
* [http://polymathprojects.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/polymathias.jpg Mathematical Advances: Lone or Massively Collaborative Endeavors?] from IAS Institute Letter for fall 2010 based on a discussion organized by IAS fall 2010.
* [http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2010/10/will-crowdsourcing-revolutionize-scholarship Will ‘Crowdsourcing’ Revolutionize Scholarship?] An article in UConn Today by Jeremy Teitelbaum, Fall 2010.
* [http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204644504576653573191370088.html The New Einsteins Will Be Scientists Who Share] The Wall street journal, October 2011.
Additional links are very welcome.

== Other links ==

* [http://polymathprojects.org/ The polymath blog]
* [http://polymathprojects.org/general-polymath-rules/ General polymath rules]

== Note on anonymous editing ==

To help combat spam, anonymous editing has been disabled, and a captcha system added to hinder automated account creation. If this is causing problems, please email mn@michaelnielsen.org.

== Note on image uploads ==

Image uploads have been disabled, as they were causing problems with spam.  If you'd like to upload an image, please email mn@michaelnielsen.org