Mathematics
Mathematics has a surprising number of amateur heroes. Some problems need only a sharp idea; others need enormous computation, careful checking or many people working in the open.
Why volunteers matter here
A new angle can crack old problems
Marjorie Rice, Aubrey de Grey and David Smith each moved a problem professionals had studied for decades.
Searches need computing power
Record primes and conjecture checks run on thousands of volunteer machines.
Big proofs can be split up
Polymath, bbchallenge and the Equational Theories Project showed how open collaboration and proof assistants divide the work.
What you need
- A computer to run GIMPS or PrimeGrid in the background.
- Curiosity and patience for the OEIS or Erdős Problems.
- Some programming (Python is fine) for computational experiments.
- The free Lean proof assistant and the Natural Number Game to learn formal proof.
Projects to join
Time