Clive ThompsonFeb 26

people, PEOPLE

some hot *hot* new gossip just dropped about Cantor's infinity proof

turns out he stole it

https://boingboing.net/2026/02/25/newly-found-letters-show-georg-cantor-stole-his-famous-infinity-proof.html

Show threadPaul Hoffman
@clive @dabeaz Better link: https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-man-who-stole-infinity-20260225/
The Man Who Stole Infinity | Quanta Magazine

In an 1874 paper, Georg Cantor proved that there are different sizes of infinity and changed math forever. A trove of newly unearthed letters shows that it was also an act of plagiarism.

Quanta Magazine
Feb 26 at 11:33pmWeb
Show threadClive ThompsonFeb 27

@paulehoffman @dabeaz

Thanks!