Math Prizes and Nobel Ignobility

Xah Lee, 2010-08-22

Abel Prize. A yearly award to mathematicians. Winner gets close to 1 million USD dollars. This is said, to be the closest analog to Nobel prize.

Another, is the Millennium Prize Problems. It is 7 unsolved math problems. Those who solves it, gets 1 million USD. This started in 2000, and so far 1 person solved one of them. See: Grigori Perelman and Money: Will you decline 1 million to make a statement?.

The other math award for mathematicians is Fields medal. Given out every 4 years, but only to those under 40 years of age. Winner gets only 15k USD.

PS i despise Nobel prize. It is questionable and politically influenced.

It awards Peace Prize in 2009 to US president Barack Obama.
It never awarded Mahatma Gandhi
It also awarded to the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso. ( The term “Dalai Lama” means the head of theocracy of the Tibetan sect of Buddhism. It is similar to Pope in Catholic sect of Christianity, Ron Hubbard of Scientology, Li Hongzhi (李洪志) of Falun Gong, Sun Myung Moon of Unification Church (Moonies), Joseph Smith Jr of Latter Day Saint movement (Mormon), etc.) See: Li Ao on Tibet and Dalai Lama.
It does not award any mathematicians.
Many of its peace awards are controversial. In many cases, the recipients are considered as war mongers by many. Many of its science awards are also controversial, as well as literature awards. And quite euro-centric.
Bertrand Russel, who did far more important work in math or peace, received a Nobel for literature instead.

For a full list and discussion, see: Nobel Prize controversies.