Uploaded April 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Niels Abel was only 26 when he died, but he changed mathematics forever. Try brilliant.org/Newsthink for FREE for 30 days, and get 20% off your annual premium subscription.
CORRECTION: @4:50 the equation should read: x⁵-x=0 instead of x⁵-5=0
I highly recommend the book: Niels Henrik Abel and his Times by author Arild Stubhaug: https://a.co/d/i4VP0cqFollow Newsthink on X https://x.com/Newsthink
Chapters:
0:00 The Forgotten Genius
0:26 Abel’s Humble Beginnings
1:31 The Teacher Who Changed His Life
2:12 Refuge in Mathematics: Quintic Equation
2:52 Tragedy Strikes Again
3:17 Student Life in Poverty
4:08 A Mathematical Breakthrough
5:10 Rejection by Gauss
5:44 Crelle Believes in Him
6:23 The Paris Memoir
7:47 Alone and Ill in Paris
8:37 A Letter Too Late
9:41 Abel’s Legacy
10:21 Today’s Sponsor: Brilliant
Newsthink is produced and presented by Cindy Pom
https://x.com/cindypom
Grab your Newsthink merch here: newsthink.creator-spring.com
Support Cindy on Patreon! patreon.com/Newsthink
Sources:
Vintage office desk: Alberto Ghione from Torino, Italia, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
19th century classroom: © Jorge Royan / http://www.royan.com.ar
Small room (boarding house): Rein Nomm, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Froland Ironworks images 1 & 2 by: Karl Ragnar Gjertsen, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
CT scan of chest: Ptrump16, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Abel monument: Torgrim111, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Niels Abel was only 26 when he died, but he changed mathematics forever. Try brilliant.org/Newsthink for FREE for 30 days, and get 20% off your annual premium subscription.
CORRECTION: @4:50 the equation should read: x⁵-x=0 instead of x⁵-5=0
I highly recommend the book: Niels Henrik Abel and his Times by author Arild Stubhaug: https://a.co/d/i4VP0cqFollow Newsthink on X https://x.com/Newsthink
Chapters:
0:00 The Forgotten Genius
0:26 Abel’s Humble Beginnings
1:31 The Teacher Who Changed His Life
2:12 Refuge in Mathematics: Quintic Equation
2:52 Tragedy Strikes Again
3:17 Student Life in Poverty
4:08 A Mathematical Breakthrough
5:10 Rejection by Gauss
5:44 Crelle Believes in Him
6:23 The Paris Memoir
7:47 Alone and Ill in Paris
8:37 A Letter Too Late
9:41 Abel’s Legacy
10:21 Today’s Sponsor: Brilliant
Newsthink is produced and presented by Cindy Pom
https://x.com/cindypom
Grab your Newsthink merch here: newsthink.creator-spring.com
Support Cindy on Patreon! patreon.com/Newsthink
Sources:
Vintage office desk: Alberto Ghione from Torino, Italia, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
19th century classroom: © Jorge Royan / http://www.royan.com.ar
Small room (boarding house): Rein Nomm, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Froland Ironworks images 1 & 2 by: Karl Ragnar Gjertsen, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
CT scan of chest: Ptrump16, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Abel monument: Torgrim111, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
