The greatest mathematician that never lived - Pratik Aghor

แชร์
ฝัง
  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2020
  • Dig into the mystery of Nicolas Bourbaki- one of the most influential mathematicians of all time… who never actually existed.
    --
    When Nicolas Bourbaki applied to the American Mathematical Society in the 1950s, he was already one of the most influential mathematicians of his time. He’d published articles in international journals and his textbooks were required reading. Yet his application was firmly rejected for one simple reason: Nicolas Bourbaki did not exist. How is that possible? Pratik Aghor digs into the mystery.
    Lesson by Pratik Aghor, directed by Província Studio.
    Animator's website: www.provincia.network
    Sign up for our newsletter: bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletter
    Support us on Patreon: bit.ly/TEDEdPatreon
    Follow us on Facebook: bit.ly/TEDEdFacebook
    Find us on Twitter: bit.ly/TEDEdTwitter
    Peep us on Instagram: bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram
    View full lesson: ed.ted.com/lessons/the-greate...
    Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Paul Aldred-Bann, Manav parmar, Susan Wang, Utkarsh Dubey, Thawsitt, Xuebicoco, Jezabel, Maeve, Kim Humphrey, Kristen Damas, JackKeyton , Matthew D. Vigil, Amin Shahril, Adriano Fontes, Xiao Yu, Fatima Kried, Aravind Battaje, Melissa Suarez, Jason Duncan, Brian A. Dunn, Francisco Amaya, Daisuke Goto, Matt Switzler, Chhunheng Veng, Leonardo Monrroy, Sumedh Ghaisas, Guhten, Amer Harb, Dowey Baothman, Norbert Orgován, Shafeeq Ansari, Gabriel Balsa, Maryam Sultan, Bethany Connor, Jeremy Shimanek, Adam Foreman, Sebastiaan Vleugels, Lâm Nguyễn, Mark Byers, Bradley Heinold, Monkeypatcher, Laurence McMillan, Connor Roberts, Dmitry Neverov, Tonya Ratliff-Garrison, Avinash Amarnath, Eric McDaniel, Cristian Cristian, France Lipužič and EdoKun.

ความคิดเห็น • 2.4K

  • @wizardinchiktrodon
    @wizardinchiktrodon 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11057

    His existence was imaginary, his influence was real...
    You could say that's quite *complex*

    • @vinitabisht712
      @vinitabisht712 4 ปีที่แล้ว +76

      😂😂😂😂😂

    • @-guitarhero
      @-guitarhero 4 ปีที่แล้ว +46

      not funny
      didn't laugh

    • @maisamaskari8774
      @maisamaskari8774 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      bruh

    • @coleabrahams9331
      @coleabrahams9331 4 ปีที่แล้ว +65

      🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣THAT’S AN AWESOME JOKE

    • @nuji8942
      @nuji8942 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      😆😆😆😆😆

  • @Sammyoed
    @Sammyoed 4 ปีที่แล้ว +21306

    so you're telling me, that a group of university students didn't like their math textbook so they made a new one? damn.

    • @pratikaghor987
      @pratikaghor987 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1270

      Some of them were professors when the group started. However, all of them were in their twenties. So, pretty young.

    • @Gadget-Walkmen
      @Gadget-Walkmen 4 ปีที่แล้ว +472

      How smart do you have to be to do that?

    • @charonpluto1085
      @charonpluto1085 4 ปีที่แล้ว +891

      They were prestigious mathematicians and you had to be an elite to be able to join. They wanted a continuous math, and they came up with many important definitions. They unified math. They were aggressive literally! In one of their meetings seen by a mathematician not in the group the fights were so violent that one person broke a table over a definition !

    • @lynettemojica6503
      @lynettemojica6503 4 ปีที่แล้ว +505

      @@charonpluto1085 now I know why my professor said "definitions are life or death"

    • @akshaypendyala
      @akshaypendyala 3 ปีที่แล้ว +41

      @@lynettemojica6503 good!

  • @user-ht3tp3uj4v
    @user-ht3tp3uj4v 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3952

    Mathematicians :
    Hmm.. We don't hane an author...
    LET AUTHOR BE x

    • @adventureawaits3860
      @adventureawaits3860 3 ปีที่แล้ว +102

      X= Nicolas Bourbaki (so precise)

    • @ramduar
      @ramduar 3 ปีที่แล้ว +115

      "but, y?"

    • @amansahayminz8247
      @amansahayminz8247 3 ปีที่แล้ว +70

      @@ramduar y=life
      So it's a complex equation

    • @karlkapple6531
      @karlkapple6531 3 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      z=?

    • @amansahayminz8247
      @amansahayminz8247 3 ปีที่แล้ว +55

      @@karlkapple6531 z= x+iy where x is name and y is life. A perfect complex equation

  • @Ceshua
    @Ceshua 3 ปีที่แล้ว +781

    One of the nerdiest "it's a prank bro" moments

  • @thisisahumanlol8255
    @thisisahumanlol8255 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8145

    When you dont like your textbook so you prank mathematicians by pretending to be a man from Russia.

    • @maxpoweroverdrive
      @maxpoweroverdrive 4 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Irodov wants to know your location!

    • @thisrandomdude_
      @thisrandomdude_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +81

      In Soviet Russia, others don't make you read za book... you write your own...

    • @dedley2664
      @dedley2664 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      ARandomDude You didn’t need to mention za accent

    • @parasb6485
      @parasb6485 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@maxpoweroverdrive hey man he wrote more about physics than mathematics

    • @thisrandomdude_
      @thisrandomdude_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@dedley2664 ok it's G O N E now I edited it so that the joke looks better

  • @stormysamreen7062
    @stormysamreen7062 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2905

    Imagine looking at your calculus book and thinking, "man, i can write better than that."

    • @aa-jt1yt
      @aa-jt1yt 2 ปีที่แล้ว +56

      probably comes down to how people views school and learning other countries have a completely different view of schooling

    • @jeremias-serus
      @jeremias-serus 2 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      Honestly I think this everyday. I’m just built different.

    • @deleted_handle
      @deleted_handle 2 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      Imagine looking at a calculator and thinking, "7+5=?"

    • @v44n7
      @v44n7 2 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      to be fair modern calculus and math books are so undated, i mean in the logic they are on point, but the way it presents its is so old and weird. you have to be a math genius or very talented to understand and learn just from a raw math and calculus book. We for sure would use a better approch for ANYONE that want to learn math from scrach

    • @izzeldeenmez4343
      @izzeldeenmez4343 2 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      @@v44n7 the school system should change like if someone wants to be in a specific job he/she doesn’t need a specific subject or most of the subject like art to be in a specific engineer for example industrial engineer u need geometry not how to draw an object

  • @jackanderson6966
    @jackanderson6966 3 ปีที่แล้ว +671

    “I don’t get you” “Me neither” sounds like your standard math conversation 😂

  • @SamiShukayr
    @SamiShukayr 3 ปีที่แล้ว +560

    These guys are their time's equivalent of "doing it for a meme".

    • @__Hmmmmmmmm__
      @__Hmmmmmmmm__ 2 ปีที่แล้ว +36

      Different generation, same antics. Nice👌.

  • @GRBtutorials
    @GRBtutorials 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7868

    “Nicolas Bourbaki may have been imaginary, but his legacy is very real.” So you could say he was... complex?

  • @ShauryaSingh-ts2oc
    @ShauryaSingh-ts2oc 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5510

    Plot Twist: Nicolas was real and the group killed him to take his credit.

  • @Sarik0497
    @Sarik0497 3 ปีที่แล้ว +448

    It’s so amazing to imagine just how intelligent these students were. They were clearly not just your everyday people, but geniuses in their own ways. Also, I love how this indirectly tells us, that even though we as individuals may not be comparable to legends like Einstein, Pythagoras or Newton, but in groups, we’re capable of achieving amazing achievements.

    • @Heart2HeartBooks
      @Heart2HeartBooks ปีที่แล้ว +6

      So.......like..........."Two heads are better than one"?

    • @ajcon3874
      @ajcon3874 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@Heart2HeartBooks Exactly. Together humanity grows. Apart it is nothing.

    • @davidgutierrez3312
      @davidgutierrez3312 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Most maths students are very intelligent and there was a lot undiscovered or not formalized at the time. There are many more maths geniuses among us today but the problems have become more difficult.

    • @i2keepitrealInreseach
      @i2keepitrealInreseach 5 หลายเดือนก่อน

      ​@@davidgutierrez3312 I won't say most.. But some...

  • @thehammerandsickle2490
    @thehammerandsickle2490 3 ปีที่แล้ว +469

    That moment when you "prank" half the world's population into using a textbook made by a ghost...

    • @callen34659
      @callen34659 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Em ghost is probably not an accurate word since ghost would 'exist' if you know what im saying

  • @saucyyikers3877
    @saucyyikers3877 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4779

    The smartest, elaborate, and important prank ever

    • @anime4life930
      @anime4life930 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Saucy Yikers is to drumm roll pls
      Shut up😂😂✌️

    • @saucyyikers3877
      @saucyyikers3877 3 ปีที่แล้ว +30

      @@anime4life930 ummm I dont get it

    • @anime4life930
      @anime4life930 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Saucy Yikers um I mean like why do u have to write this comment no one asked u too

    • @anime4life930
      @anime4life930 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Saucy Yikers I’m just kidding I’m not mean

    • @anime4life930
      @anime4life930 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Saucy Yikers 😜🤣

  • @thinhnonyt
    @thinhnonyt 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8315

    Everybody gangsta till their textbooks’ author doesn’t exist.

    • @kavinbharathirm9478
      @kavinbharathirm9478 3 ปีที่แล้ว +70

      I don't know why but I find this funny

    • @wickivicton9450
      @wickivicton9450 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Hmmm. Kimetsu no yaiba?

    • @baguette745
      @baguette745 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@wickivicton9450 No it's a JoJo reference

    • @Bakasta170
      @Bakasta170 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@wickivicton9450 Have u read the manga or just has watched the anime? 😃
      btw big fan.

    • @wickivicton9450
      @wickivicton9450 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Bakasta170 both

  • @PeacePham1991
    @PeacePham1991 3 ปีที่แล้ว +84

    A bunch of mathematicians that didn't mind not taking credit for their work! Mad respect!

  • @angelyiu629
    @angelyiu629 3 ปีที่แล้ว +451

    Whoever made the idea on writing puns in Nicholas' obituary deserves an applause.

  • @QuestionEverythingButWHY
    @QuestionEverythingButWHY 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4429

    "No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness."
    --Aristotle

    • @deepstariaenigmatica2601
      @deepstariaenigmatica2601 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      wasn't that Einstein when talking about paul dirac?

    • @Ell_lovell
      @Ell_lovell 4 ปีที่แล้ว +25

      Heh... I have more than atouch’

    • @blabla-rg7ky
      @blabla-rg7ky 4 ปีที่แล้ว +179

      "No better place to learn math than on the internet" - Pythagoras

    • @ayman9224
      @ayman9224 4 ปีที่แล้ว +35

      bla bla Can’t deny such a universal quote by Pythagoras

    • @blabla-rg7ky
      @blabla-rg7ky 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@ayman9224 glad you agree :)

  • @bobypiza
    @bobypiza 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4541

    “I like Russia”
    “Ok?”
    “Let’s pretend to be Russian “

    • @maninthecrowd5076
      @maninthecrowd5076 3 ปีที่แล้ว +92

      We like Russia.
      That's the truth and at the same a communism joke. Feels good.

    • @peterfireflylund
      @peterfireflylund 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      Actually named after an old French general, not a Russian.

    • @MaheshKumar-vw6uo
      @MaheshKumar-vw6uo 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@maninthecrowd5076 get out capitalist jocker

    • @anime4life930
      @anime4life930 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Jorjeeta Panda who asked?

    • @Qbe_Root
      @Qbe_Root 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      “Let’s pretend to be Russian”
      “You mean Russians?”
      “No no, Russian”

  • @blackout995
    @blackout995 3 ปีที่แล้ว +515

    This is nothing compared to the greatest scientist of all time, "Et Al."

    • @divishatewari7612
      @divishatewari7612 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      lol 😂

    • @michaelmclemore649
      @michaelmclemore649 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      The means to do what he does

    • @michaelmclemore649
      @michaelmclemore649 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Math is the father of science and language. Man counted before he organized his language (discovered numbers). Without his father Math, Science cannot stand. Math stands without science. In fact the biggest fan of Math is his son Science that he graciously lent the power to toddler off into the sunset

    • @skycopper1336
      @skycopper1336 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Can you guys explain da joke pls?

    • @user-dl1bs6lm1g
      @user-dl1bs6lm1g 2 ปีที่แล้ว +48

      When a document is quoted in order to give credit you must cite the authors and put them in your References or Bibliography.
      When a document has many authors you only mention some of them and then you put "et al." which means "and others".
      Et al. Appears in many citations, that's the joke.

  • @relatablenoodles9245
    @relatablenoodles9245 3 ปีที่แล้ว +245

    he was so famous, he even got a 21 pilots song made after him

    • @violetboulevard3899
      @violetboulevard3899 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      @Sousea morph

    • @youraveragegrandma568
      @youraveragegrandma568 3 ปีที่แล้ว +36

      The 21 pilots song was so great 20th century mathematicians had a pseudonym inspired by it

    • @nate_storm
      @nate_storm 2 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      i was wondering how far i’d have to go for this comment

    • @SaiTheForgotten
      @SaiTheForgotten 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Still dont get why TOP mentioned his name

    • @alex_plds
      @alex_plds 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@SaiTheForgotten yh the i dont get the why the leader of the niners was named after him

  • @merrittanimation7721
    @merrittanimation7721 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4584

    "Hey guys I just had and idea."
    "What?"
    "What if we pretend to be some Russian dude when we publish this book?"
    *silence*
    "THAT'S GENIUS!"

    • @ma1ist
      @ma1ist 4 ปีที่แล้ว +100

      The lads just having fun.

    • @asopbob6064
      @asopbob6064 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Yes

    • @rnwillyanto
      @rnwillyanto 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      🤣

    • @jaclies7628
      @jaclies7628 4 ปีที่แล้ว +48

      @@ma1ist me and the boys secretly writing a book as a prank

    • @thisrandomdude_
      @thisrandomdude_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      In Soviet Russia, others don't make you read za book... you write your own...

  • @shaheen4663
    @shaheen4663 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5800

    I never understood why people would give credit to a made up dude for the excellent work that they did

    • @aliyannadeem1104
      @aliyannadeem1104 4 ปีที่แล้ว +452

      Guess they were all about the laughs

    • @isaiahestabrook6247
      @isaiahestabrook6247 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1211

      Because for a lot of mathematicians, it isn’t about being recognized. It’s about the betterment of mathematics. Great example of this is Grigori Perelman who proved Poincaré conjecture but turned down the award.

    • @danielsteel5251
      @danielsteel5251 4 ปีที่แล้ว +427

      Mathematicians tend to be masochists.
      In all sorts of ways.

    • @duckymomo7935
      @duckymomo7935 4 ปีที่แล้ว +71

      A lot of these results weren’t new or ground breaking
      ZFC was already formalized by the time of “Bourbaki”

    • @mazeemadaline3091
      @mazeemadaline3091 4 ปีที่แล้ว +73

      ikr like Einstein didn’t think that what he discovered was special at all

  • @genkideska4486
    @genkideska4486 3 ปีที่แล้ว +87

    Pranks back then : let's create a character and write groundbreaking math in his name,hehe.
    Pranks nowadays : so I burnt my friends home and bought him a new one.

  • @enchantking
    @enchantking 3 ปีที่แล้ว +20

    They should make a movie about this!!!

    • @LdNote
      @LdNote 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      omg so true that would be amazing

  • @mk_rexx
    @mk_rexx 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2672

    "All but one of us are gonna be referenced as 'et.al' anyway"
    -the authors, probably

    • @gildedbear5355
      @gildedbear5355 3 ปีที่แล้ว +153

      Ultimate math/science troll: change your name to "et al". that way we can get "et al et.al"

    • @playmaker.3596
      @playmaker.3596 3 ปีที่แล้ว +43

      etality

    • @shiningdahlia
      @shiningdahlia 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      I was just asking myself that! How do you reference the work of an imaginary person? 💭

    • @forreadingoutloud6282
      @forreadingoutloud6282 3 ปีที่แล้ว +42

      @@shiningdahlia Well you have to keep in mind that for people who lived at the time, Bourbaki was very much a "real" person. So yeah, including him in references is not really that much of an issue

    • @wellesradio
      @wellesradio 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      GildedBear “et-al et al” I do think that’s how some of the early algebra treatises were attributed.

  • @nigelmaccuver9122
    @nigelmaccuver9122 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1662

    Descartes : I THINK, THEREFORE I AM.
    Bourbaki : THEY THINK, THEREFORE I AM.
    😇😇😇

  • @michaleandmore5111
    @michaleandmore5111 3 ปีที่แล้ว +47

    When a fictional guy's life has more meaning than mine 😭

  • @MHeymann
    @MHeymann 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    "If every *possible* output could be mapped onto *by* at least one input" is in my mind a better phrasing for surjectivity. Great video! 😍

  • @ujwalbasnet9444
    @ujwalbasnet9444 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1312

    Maybe the greatest mathematician was the friend we made along the way.

    • @wohoi
      @wohoi 4 ปีที่แล้ว +52

      bourbaki, I swear to God I will leave you in russia.

    • @leonardopaulsen2116
      @leonardopaulsen2116 4 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      I thought Nicholas Bourbaki was a guy from twenty one pilots' album, trench
      You can find that name in their song morph

    • @thisrandomdude_
      @thisrandomdude_ 4 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      What if... it was all... a dream...?

    • @AnimeCritical
      @AnimeCritical 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Bifrost Bigfoot.. This was hilarious. Still laughing.

    • @deliriousjason8133
      @deliriousjason8133 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      *imaginary friend*

  • @Panda_Roll
    @Panda_Roll 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1086

    "Hey, lets publish our work under a pseudonym. Which one do you think people will take seriously?"
    "Russian. People only trust wisdom and knowledge when they come from far away. Can't ever grow that stuff locally it seems."

    • @sovimohammedsaeed7802
      @sovimohammedsaeed7802 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Fyaza Heylets lets publis v

    • @wafer8870
      @wafer8870 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      e

    • @royaldecreeforthechurchofm8409
      @royaldecreeforthechurchofm8409 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      C

    • @t-gaygaygay8164
      @t-gaygaygay8164 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      d

    • @baxakk7374
      @baxakk7374 3 ปีที่แล้ว +17

      That and lots of mathematicians came from the Soviet Union. The coolest kids at most schools at that time in the Soviet Union were kids who were good at math and physics. In the western world, they are considered weird and kind of shameful to be like that.

  • @klarissemagallanes8961
    @klarissemagallanes8961 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    Those Mathematicians are Madlads at a whole new level

  • @pahulpreetsingh141
    @pahulpreetsingh141 3 ปีที่แล้ว +54

    I heard Nikolas bourbaki and immediately my brain went to twenty one pilots

  • @YEdwardP
    @YEdwardP 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1793

    "Nicolas Bourbaki may have been IMAGINARY, but his legacy is very REAL."
    I see what you did there, TED-Ed.

    • @pleaseenteraname4824
      @pleaseenteraname4824 3 ปีที่แล้ว +38

      YEdwardP Im(Bourbaki)=life
      Re(Bourbaki)=legacy

    • @blackmamba1261
      @blackmamba1261 3 ปีที่แล้ว +120

      I don’t get it. That reference was too complex for me

    • @srash8854
      @srash8854 3 ปีที่แล้ว +85

      @@blackmamba1261 it's quite irrational

    • @archeopterixneuroza4715
      @archeopterixneuroza4715 3 ปีที่แล้ว +59

      @@srash8854 I dunno, seems pretty natural to me

    • @dhrithivbhat
      @dhrithivbhat 3 ปีที่แล้ว +59

      @@archeopterixneuroza4715 the fact that y'all are _add_ ing puns is _whole_ some

  • @illusionfaderr5394
    @illusionfaderr5394 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1588

    Damn I just can’t imagine being smart enough to rewrite your school’s whole dang textbook

    • @anemari5809
      @anemari5809 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      Cuz knowledge isn't spoon-fed before. They need to discover thing cause ya know they can't google 😅

    • @memoboy4141
      @memoboy4141 3 ปีที่แล้ว +44

      @@anemari5809 how can you not make sense on so many different levels, that's kind of brilliant.

    • @hybmnzz2658
      @hybmnzz2658 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@memoboy4141 are you unable to read English? That is quite amazing.

    • @raspberrycrowns9494
      @raspberrycrowns9494 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@hybmnzz2658 you should meet my 1 yr old niece

    • @markusoreos.233
      @markusoreos.233 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@hybmnzz2658
      That was engrish, sir.

  • @evagraciela225
    @evagraciela225 3 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    This takes twenty one pilot song to a whole new level

    • @nebulouscalamity6338
      @nebulouscalamity6338 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Which song is that?

    • @evagraciela225
      @evagraciela225 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@nebulouscalamity6338 Nico and the Niners

    • @nebulouscalamity6338
      @nebulouscalamity6338 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@evagraciela225 Thanks for the surprising prompt reply! I guess Nico and the Niners are all the same here. They're the ones controlling all of math, eh?

  • @Snehal_Bajpeyee
    @Snehal_Bajpeyee 3 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    "Who should be the author?"
    "Nicolas something...."
    "Great Idea!!!"

  • @Challyyeh
    @Challyyeh 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2022

    I can just imagine all the Geniuses who died in the world wars and how the world might be totally different if at least a few mozarts and einsteins lived. May they rest in peace.

    • @dinghanxue704
      @dinghanxue704 3 ปีที่แล้ว +83

      and it is also sad that most of the technologies advancing are a result of military research.

    • @prumchhangsreng979
      @prumchhangsreng979 3 ปีที่แล้ว +127

      Dont really know man. While it did alot of damage, it also allow the society to grow. Without world war I and II. We may not have the Unite Nation either. Small country might still be used by big nation and big nation might still have minor conflict over and over. And tbh, the world war is such a big war that everyone just so done with it and want peace. That period of peace allow technology and science to grow exponentially. The tech we have today is sth people from 100years ago could never imagine of. While these great mind die, their legacy live on. These group of mathematicians is collecting their legacy and set a universal standard. That mean, their work didn't go to waste. They didnt live on to do more math discovery, but our today mathematician are just as capable.

    • @honkhonk8009
      @honkhonk8009 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Wihout it, we probably wouldnt have a use to apply all that theory practically.

    • @valhatan3907
      @valhatan3907 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@prumchhangsreng979 woah dude, that one is beautiful

    • @boslyporshy6553
      @boslyporshy6553 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@dinghanxue704 Necessity drives actions

  • @MathMadeEasy
    @MathMadeEasy 4 ปีที่แล้ว +375

    I just looked all of their names up and was incredibly saddened when I found all had died except one, Jean-Pierre Serre. R.I.P. mathematical legends.

    • @dinghanxue704
      @dinghanxue704 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      it's just nature's law.

    • @theyoutubeuser6797
      @theyoutubeuser6797 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      Bourbaki still exist. Jean-Pierre was fired as he is more than 50 years old.

    • @mohitjain088
      @mohitjain088 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      He was and still is the youngest winner of the Fields Medal, at the age of 27.

    • @clemente3966
      @clemente3966 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Yeah, the thing with Bourbaki is that all the members are below a certain age and are all anonymous until one member is at least old enough, and so, out of the group. Then Idk what the specifics are, but iirc it's the member's decision to tell if they were a member or not, but usually former members we know of are old when they're still alive.

  • @stanley_george
    @stanley_george 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    A glance into the Wikipedia article tells that this group still lives and their latest publication was in 2016

  • @Werelight
    @Werelight 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    They pretty much went back to basics, making a modern work of Euclid. His own “Elements” was quite similar.

  • @tintirinao
    @tintirinao 4 ปีที่แล้ว +252

    Me:*unable to understand the math text book*
    after watching this video,my mind:"I will write my own math text book"

  • @firstname4653
    @firstname4653 4 ปีที่แล้ว +470

    He’ll always try to stop me, that Nicholas Bourbaki

    • @XxSwagBeatboxerxX
      @XxSwagBeatboxerxX 4 ปีที่แล้ว +33

      TOP fans liked that 😎

    • @zaarakhan6824
      @zaarakhan6824 4 ปีที่แล้ว +40

      He's got no friends close but those who know him most know , he goes by nico he told me I am copy and when I heard he'd mocked me THAT ALMOST STOPPED ME

    • @TemPestKratos
      @TemPestKratos 4 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      We'll we're surrounded and we're hounded

    • @sofiavelardez2441
      @sofiavelardez2441 4 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      theres no above or a secret door

    • @alexandermcleanalmndbuttrt4714
      @alexandermcleanalmndbuttrt4714 4 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      what are we here for?

  • @zaclanderos1624
    @zaclanderos1624 2 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    "He'll always try to stop me, that Nicholas Bourbaki
    He's got no friends close but those who know him most know
    He goes by Nico, he told me I'm a copy"
    ~Morph - Twenty One Pilots

  • @angelanoelle8111
    @angelanoelle8111 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    and I thought Nicolas Bourbaki was just a random name in the TwentyOne Pilots' "Morph"

  • @AM_-wg1hj
    @AM_-wg1hj 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2945

    I changed my comment so the replies don't make any sense

    • @harshita.07
      @harshita.07 4 ปีที่แล้ว +110

      *But I feel bad for everyone who lost their lives on world war 1*

    • @youisstupid2586
      @youisstupid2586 4 ปีที่แล้ว +85

      And the horses

    • @jinujustin9271
      @jinujustin9271 4 ปีที่แล้ว +23

      bro its a relief otherwise the syllabus would have been more thicker

    • @Aphelia.
      @Aphelia. 4 ปีที่แล้ว +100

      The scientists, the artists and all others. War is just a waste of good people.

    • @esmeray9704
      @esmeray9704 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@Aphelia. ikr

  • @Moon-iv1xy
    @Moon-iv1xy 4 ปีที่แล้ว +507

    Honestly I kinda get it, if I was a part of the team, I'd rather choose a cool group name to "represent" everyone than being reduced to et al. lol

    • @mayaibarra85
      @mayaibarra85 4 ปีที่แล้ว +45

      I didn't think about that, everytime I put et al. for the papers I had written, I always feel bad for all the other names that also deserved recognition.

  • @adventureawaits3860
    @adventureawaits3860 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I found This on Wikipedia-
    The group's namesake derives from the 19th century French general Charles-Denis Bourbaki,[3] who had a career of successful military campaigns before suffering a dramatic loss in the Franco-Prussian War. The name was therefore familiar to early 20th century French students. Weil remembered an ENS student prank in which an upperclassman posed as a professor and presented a "theorem of Bourbaki"; the name was later adopted.
    (Andre wiel was one of it's founders)

  • @Dr_Steve.N
    @Dr_Steve.N 4 ปีที่แล้ว +596

    These stories would make maths so interesting imo.
    why they don't tell this at school.🤷‍♂️
    Thanks Ted ed

    • @ChrisM-qo1jc
      @ChrisM-qo1jc 3 ปีที่แล้ว +27

      it doesnt help u understand the mathematics of it all

    • @ariaasterial9295
      @ariaasterial9295 3 ปีที่แล้ว +112

      @@ChrisM-qo1jc It would make you want to understand it more though, and wanting to understand makes understanding a lot easier

    • @dimitris5866
      @dimitris5866 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      @@ariaasterial9295 10/10 Make it a quote now.

    • @Dr_Steve.N
      @Dr_Steve.N 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@ariaasterial9295 yup

    • @user-ht7pl6go1v
      @user-ht7pl6go1v 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

      Ikr. just imagine how many people would be interested in math just because of the prank story.

  • @MarvelGeek
    @MarvelGeek 4 ปีที่แล้ว +564

    TED-ED: Nicolas Bourbaki never existed
    Me: "surprised Pikachu face"

    • @jofx4051
      @jofx4051 3 ปีที่แล้ว +58

      ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⣠⣤⣶⣶ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⢰⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⣀⣀⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⡏⠉⠛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿ ⣿⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠿⠛⠉⠁⠀⣿ ⣿⣧⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠙⠿⠿⠿⠻⠿⠿⠟⠿⠛⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣸⣿ ⣿⣿⣷⣄⠀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⣴⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⠏⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠠⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⡟⠀⠀⢰⣹⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣭⣷⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⠃⠀⠀⠈⠉⠀⠀⠤⠄⠀⠀⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⢾⣿⣷⠀⠀⠀⠀⡠⠤⢄⠀⠀⠀⠠⣿⣿⣷⠀⢸⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⡀⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢄⠀⢀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠉⠁⠀⠀⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢹⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⠃⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⣿⣿

    • @MarvelGeek
      @MarvelGeek 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Nice!

  • @Inkan1969
    @Inkan1969 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Oh, wow. That's an inspiring story. The world owes a lot to the Bourbaki group.

  • @cestrocchia
    @cestrocchia 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This is a great content that I've shared in my social media.
    Keep it for further!

  • @irene9332
    @irene9332 4 ปีที่แล้ว +189

    " the highest form of pure thought is in mathematics"
    - Plato

    • @Gadget-Walkmen
      @Gadget-Walkmen 4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Is it tho? Explain for example!

    • @deadangel03
      @deadangel03 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      LudicrousKid those were Plato’s words, not his.

    • @manjityadav6845
      @manjityadav6845 4 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      Smoke weed everyday
      -Elon Musk

    • @iredred4378
      @iredred4378 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@manjityadav6845 I'm crying

    • @behzat8489
      @behzat8489 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@Gadget-Walkmen there is nothing more pure than math. I cant prove that now but its true. Btw the thing we are learning in schools is not math. Believe me.

  • @Alkalus
    @Alkalus 4 ปีที่แล้ว +312

    Man: No, Nicolas Bourbaki doesn’t exist.
    French Mathematicians: Ight bet.

  • @ashrafbutt9418
    @ashrafbutt9418 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for telling such an informative video😀

  • @manuelangeldomingueztoribi6516
    @manuelangeldomingueztoribi6516 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thanks for the video.

  • @denhro
    @denhro 4 ปีที่แล้ว +58

    Saw the title and instantly knew who this was about.
    ...He'll always try to stop me, that Nicholas Bourbaki...

    • @ananyask503
      @ananyask503 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      He's got no friends close but those who know him most know he goes by Nico

  • @francotomatillo
    @francotomatillo 3 ปีที่แล้ว +38

    I really like the fact that the guy working on commutative groups and the guy working on Z-modules couldn’t understand each other despite these two objects being the same. If that was an intentional touch, Kudos!

  • @WillSelman
    @WillSelman 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    This is one of my favorite Teds.

  • @cypher1133
    @cypher1133 4 หลายเดือนก่อน

    This is one of the most interesting stories i have heard

  • @MatthewSmith-wx9wy
    @MatthewSmith-wx9wy 4 ปีที่แล้ว +117

    0:48
    Me & my friend in Math.

    • @mel594
      @mel594 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      "..the lack of a shared mathematical language." 😂

    • @paradox5468
      @paradox5468 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      😂😂😂😂

  • @phillipskids3686
    @phillipskids3686 4 ปีที่แล้ว +123

    Why dont they tell us this in school? we just assume things have always been organized but really people worked super hard to being math together

    • @Jay-nh6um
      @Jay-nh6um 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

      Do you seriously think math was created, organized and developed without effort? Hundreds of generations were needed to even conceptualize the field of mathematics... School assumes you assume that everything took lots of work to be done.

    • @giobronskij8249
      @giobronskij8249 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Because these were scholars studying advanced mathematics, why would school waste any time telling you their story when they need to teach kids basic maths lmao

  • @napoleontan2841
    @napoleontan2841 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I really appreciate this.

  • @TheOfficialZombieWhisperer
    @TheOfficialZombieWhisperer 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    It's nice when people who are capable, follow through.

  • @mellow-yellow918
    @mellow-yellow918 4 ปีที่แล้ว +76

    Moral of the story: If you don't like a book, write one on your own(and yes,pretend to be a Russian guy-that's important)

  • @QuestionEverythingButWHY
    @QuestionEverythingButWHY 4 ปีที่แล้ว +180

    "Genius is the recovery of childhood at will."
    --Arthur Rimbaud

  • @alannash2778
    @alannash2778 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    So much of this went over my head, but I do like the humour of the group!

  • @anathael6626
    @anathael6626 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Great job on filling the blanks with actual commonly used properties, makes it all the more believable

  • @sayanchoudhury3190
    @sayanchoudhury3190 4 ปีที่แล้ว +301

    imaginary numbers exist in mathematics so as imaginary mathematicians in our society

    • @amellirizarry9503
      @amellirizarry9503 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      It’s seems very apropiate when you put it that way 🤔

    • @Aditi-eq1um
      @Aditi-eq1um 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Apt

  • @razlem
    @razlem 3 ปีที่แล้ว +65

    I can't believe what I'm studying now came from a prank lmao

  • @agoogleuser3853
    @agoogleuser3853 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love how the phrase at the start was written by no other than Nicolas Bourbaki

  • @robertschlesinger1342
    @robertschlesinger1342 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Interesting and worthwhile video.

  • @asurajsharma
    @asurajsharma 4 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    Always on point with the gorgeous animation

  • @SS-yl5wo
    @SS-yl5wo 4 ปีที่แล้ว +54

    flying from a fire, from nico and the niners

    • @Pepel_sna
      @Pepel_sna 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Can you explain, please?

    • @trap-pd2mv
      @trap-pd2mv 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@Pepel_sna 'east is up I'm fearless when I hear this on the low' are you telling me you never heard this famous phrase ?

    • @jolie1412
      @jolie1412 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      always trying to stop me that nicholas bourbaki

    • @krolipfozhe1417
      @krolipfozhe1417 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@jolie1412 omg! Now I finnaly understood the line.....thanks😀

    • @gracelewis4016
      @gracelewis4016 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      EAST IS UP! I'm fearless when I hear this on the low, EAST IS UP! I'm careless when I wear my rebel clothes, EAST IS UP! when bishops come together they will know that: Dema don't control us!

  • @johnnyr7289
    @johnnyr7289 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    One of the greatest stories ever told

  • @HDQuote
    @HDQuote 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    uff, when the video interchanges "groups" and "sets"

  • @salad5701
    @salad5701 4 ปีที่แล้ว +43

    the face when someone that never existed achieved way more than you ever will

    • @johndalton8839
      @johndalton8839 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      fact* Also, you're speaking for yourself here. No one else

  • @soobinickyoung
    @soobinickyoung 4 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    So this is the Nicolas Bourbaki that Tyler Joseph of twenty øne piløts is talking about in the song Nico and the Niners.🤔

    • @jangronowski8180
      @jangronowski8180 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      Yes that's the point, Nicos studies are a good metaphor for the story of trench(Plus he literally invented TOPology)

  • @troller7779
    @troller7779 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I am a Undergraduate student and this video gave me goosebumps 🔥

  • @wtv2128
    @wtv2128 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    The part were you guys explained functions gave me war flashbacks.

  • @camiloiribarren1450
    @camiloiribarren1450 4 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    The story of man who never was in a world who never knew him creating a legacy many couldn't reach. What a great legend

  • @fazzadon8944
    @fazzadon8944 4 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    They did it for the lolz. What madmen, I love them.

  • @ChanwooPark-me1wc
    @ChanwooPark-me1wc ปีที่แล้ว +5

    우리가 지금 배우고 있는 수학이 정립된 지 불과 몇십 년 밖에 지나지 않았다는 사실이 좀 놀랍네요. 확실히 수학 용어를 통일시킨 작업은 수학자들이 서로의 분야를 이해하고 융합하는 데 도움을 많이 주었을 것 같습니다. 유익한 영상 감사합니다!

  • @mausambi613
    @mausambi613 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    This should seriously be made into a movie!!!

  • @4felix8
    @4felix8 4 ปีที่แล้ว +82

    I feel so bad for those mathematicians who lost their lives in world war 1, war is a terrible thing😢😞

  • @captive-audience
    @captive-audience 4 ปีที่แล้ว +65

    I can think about nothing but Twenty-one Pilots just after hearing the name Nicolas Bourbaki.

    • @PedroHenrique-vt1nz
      @PedroHenrique-vt1nz 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Why?

    • @huzi37709
      @huzi37709 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@PedroHenrique-vt1nz bump

    • @aishwaryaiyer117
      @aishwaryaiyer117 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      @@PedroHenrique-vt1nz because they reference Nico as a fictional representation of negativity in their recent album named "Trench"

    • @zx4706
      @zx4706 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      YEAH

    • @gracelewis4016
      @gracelewis4016 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      He's got no friends close but those who know him most know: he goes by nico

  • @lesbloches1142
    @lesbloches1142 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    What a smooth video to talk about it ! Love it !
    I would also add this : Nicolas Bourbaki still exists today. In fact, the group is welcoming new mathematicians who shall leave it when they are 50, because after this age we become idiots. The identities of current members are mostly kept secret...

  • @riddlestrange
    @riddlestrange 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Nicolas Bourbaki was mentioned in TøP 's song "Morph". This must be the reference to "Nico and the Niners". The 9 French mathematicians under the alias. 😮

  • @tanishkagour5457
    @tanishkagour5457 4 ปีที่แล้ว +62

    Oh he is alive he's just in dema ||-//

    • @jehulukwesa
      @jehulukwesa 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @LEE WEI QIN Moe Same haha

    • @justanotherfabulouskilljoy
      @justanotherfabulouskilljoy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Yess ||-//

    • @ananyask503
      @ananyask503 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      "He's got no friends close but those who know him most know he goes by Nico"

  • @tigerlewis7370
    @tigerlewis7370 3 ปีที่แล้ว +25

    He'll always try to stop me, that Nicholas Bourbaki
    He's got no friends close but those who know him most know
    He goes by Nico, he told me I'm a copy
    When I'd hear him mock me that's almost stopped me
    Well we're surrounded and we're hounded
    There's no above or a secret door
    What are we here for?
    If not to run straight through all our tormentors?
    But until that time I'll try and sing this

    • @angler3897
      @angler3897 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      If I keep moving, they won't know

    • @j-drummer9132
      @j-drummer9132 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1

      I’ll morph to someone else

  • @jessicaschirle5974
    @jessicaschirle5974 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I knew this would be about Bourbaki just from the title!

  • @caskie7465
    @caskie7465 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    dude this is amazing

  • @supermarioplayersmp
    @supermarioplayersmp 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    As soon as I saw that title I knew “who” this was gonna be about.
    Great work as always!

  • @danpat8135
    @danpat8135 4 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Great animation as always!

  • @alexanderpeca7080
    @alexanderpeca7080 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Amazing combination presenting the best of humans:
    Purpose, altruism, science and humor ❤️

  • @devroopsaha4020
    @devroopsaha4020 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    I love this channel always new facts about physics, math and science. Thanks for uploading these videos, 😊😊😊❤❤❤

  • @bestredditstories1158
    @bestredditstories1158 4 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    Twenty Pilot fans, did you guys notice the reference?

  • @z.a.23
    @z.a.23 3 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    He'll always try to stop me, that Nicholas Bourbaki
    He's got no friends close but those who know him most know
    He goes by Nico, he told me I'm a copy
    When I'd hear him mock me that's almost stopped me

    • @AdeyemiAlabi
      @AdeyemiAlabi 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Is this from a movie?

    • @bakinluvr3484
      @bakinluvr3484 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@AdeyemiAlabi a song. Morph by Twenty One Pilots.

    • @ananyask503
      @ananyask503 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      ||-//

    • @SaiTheForgotten
      @SaiTheForgotten 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      We're surrounded. And we're hounded.

  • @yat_ii
    @yat_ii 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    4:50 AMOGUS

  • @dariusx9899
    @dariusx9899 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I respect your distance and understand you decisions .

  • @nutritiondaily2022
    @nutritiondaily2022 4 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Great videos from Ted-ED during the pandemic. Thank you! ❤️