Karl Mahlburg of the University of Wisconsin in Madison, US, has solved a number puzzle created by maths genius Srinivasa Ramanujan (1887-1920).

The puzzle involves understanding patterns of numbers which were first discovered by Srinivas Ramanujan, who was born in India in 1887.

Ramanujam, the genius who introduced the concept of zero to the world, was an unsystematic mathematician. His mathematical truths were not explained and it was left to other mathematicians to prove them.

Dr. Michio Kaku, describing the life of Ramanujan in his international best-selling book "Hyperspace", states that "Srinivasa Ramanujan was the strangest man in all of mathematics, probably in the entire history of science. He has been compared to a bursting supernova, illuminating the darkest, most profound corners of mathematics, before being tragically struck down by tuberculosis at the age of 33. [.] Working in total isolation from the main currents of his field, he was able to rederive 100 years' worth of Western mathematics on his own".

Maggie McKee (The New Scientist Magazine) reports how Mahlburg finally solved the puzzle.

Sources:

Maggie McKee, The New Scientist Magazine

http://mathemajik.tripod.com/personoftheweek/ramanujan.html

http://www.usna.edu/Users/math/meh/ramanujan.html

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