About this Event
? Location: Exact address given in confirmation email
? Lecture: "The Man Who Stole Infinity"
? Speaker: Dr. Joseph Howlett
Join us for a mind-bending evening as Dr. Joseph Howlett uncovers the dramatic true story behind one of the most important mathematical breakthroughs in history.
One hundred fifty years ago, a young Georg Cantor convinced the world that infinity is not just an abstract idea but a real, measurable concept—with different sizes. His work founded set theory and reshaped all of mathematics. But recently, a handwritten letter resurfaced that suggests Cantor’s revolutionary proof may have been an act of plagiarism.
Discovered by a German mathematician and podcaster, the letter from Cantor’s friend Richard Dedekind contained a proof that appeared nearly word for word in Cantor’s landmark paper. The revelation sheds new light on a friendship destroyed and a scientific revolution forever changed.
Joseph Howlett is a staff reporter at Scientific American whose work has appeared in the New York Times, the BBC, the San Francisco Chronicle, and many other outlets. Before becoming a journalist, he spent a decade as a particle physicist at Columbia and Stanford Universities.
Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! ?
Agenda
6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.
6:55 PM – Host introduction
7:00 PM – Lecture begins
7:45 PM – Audience Q&A
8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round
8:30 PM – Wrap up.
Event venue & nearby stays
Chelsea, Chelsea, New York, United States
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