Chudnovsky brothers
Encyclopedia
The Chudnovsky brothers are American mathematicians
known for their wide mathematical ability, their home-built supercomputers, and their close working relationship.
quoted the opinion of several mathematicians that Gregory Chudnovsky is one of the world's best living mathematicians. David Chudnovsky works closely with and assists his brother Gregory, who has myasthenia gravis
.
The Chudnovsky brothers have held records, at different times, for computing π
to the largest number of places, including two billion digits in the early 1990s on a supercomputer they built (dubbed "m-zero") in their apartment in Manhattan
. In 1987, the Chudnovsky brothers developed the algorithm (now called the Chudnovsky algorithm
) that they used to break several π computation records. Today, this algorithm is used by Mathematica
to calculate π, and is continued to be used by others who have achieved world record
s in pi calculation.
The brothers also assisted the Metropolitan Museum of Art
around 2003 in the merging of a series of digital photographs taken of The Hunt of the Unicorn
tapestries during their cleaning. PBS
aired a program on its science show NOVA
, hosted by Robert Krulwich
, that described the difficulties in photographing the tapestries and the math used to fix them.
The brothers are currently Distinguished Industry Professors at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU. Gregory was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship (sometimes nicknamed the "genius grant") in 1981.
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
known for their wide mathematical ability, their home-built supercomputers, and their close working relationship.
Careers in mathematics
A 1992 article in The New YorkerThe New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
quoted the opinion of several mathematicians that Gregory Chudnovsky is one of the world's best living mathematicians. David Chudnovsky works closely with and assists his brother Gregory, who has myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability...
.
The Chudnovsky brothers have held records, at different times, for computing π
Pi
' is a mathematical constant that is the ratio of any circle's circumference to its diameter. is approximately equal to 3.14. Many formulae in mathematics, science, and engineering involve , which makes it one of the most important mathematical constants...
to the largest number of places, including two billion digits in the early 1990s on a supercomputer they built (dubbed "m-zero") in their apartment in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. In 1987, the Chudnovsky brothers developed the algorithm (now called the Chudnovsky algorithm
Chudnovsky algorithm
The Chudnovsky algorithm is a fast method for calculating the digits of π. It was used by the Chudnovsky brothers to calculate more than one billion digits...
) that they used to break several π computation records. Today, this algorithm is used by Mathematica
Mathematica
Mathematica is a computational software program used in scientific, engineering, and mathematical fields and other areas of technical computing...
to calculate π, and is continued to be used by others who have achieved world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
s in pi calculation.
The brothers also assisted the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
around 2003 in the merging of a series of digital photographs taken of The Hunt of the Unicorn
The Hunt of the Unicorn
The Hunt of the Unicorn, often referred to as the Unicorn Tapestries, is a series of seven tapestries dating from 1495–1505. The tapestries show a group of noblemen and hunters in pursuit of a unicorn. It is believed the tapestries were made in the Southern Netherlands.-Production:The...
tapestries during their cleaning. PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
aired a program on its science show NOVA
NOVA (TV series)
Nova is a popular science television series from the U.S. produced by WGBH Boston. It can be seen on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States, and in more than 100 other countries...
, hosted by Robert Krulwich
Robert Krulwich
Robert Krulwich is an American radio and television journalist whose specialty is explaining complex topics in depth. He has worked as a full-time employee of ABC, CBS, National Public Radio, and Pacifica. He has done assignment pieces for ABC's Nightline and World News Tonight, as well as PBS's...
, that described the difficulties in photographing the tapestries and the math used to fix them.
The brothers are currently Distinguished Industry Professors at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU. Gregory was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship (sometimes nicknamed the "genius grant") in 1981.