某期《南方周末》科学版为我们介绍了一位被冷落了的“当代牛顿”——爱德华·威顿。对这次数学家大会显示出了极高热情的众家媒体,怎会冷落这样一位“至少和霍金一样伟大”的科学家呢?想来想去,有一个原因怕是不可回避的,那就是这位爱德华·威顿教授太正常了。我所指的爱德华·威顿教授的所谓正常,是相对于霍金和纳什而言的。在这次北京国际数学家大会期间,霍金和纳什之所以被围追堵截,我想并不完全由于人们对于他们的理论的热衷,更主要的是由于二人特殊人生经历的传奇性。也就 A certain period of “Southern Weekend” science edition introduced us to a neglected “contemporary Newton” - Edward Whitton. How can we ignore such a scientist who is “at least as great as Hawking” at this Mathematician’s General Assembly? There is a reason why fear is unavoidable. This is Professor Edward Wotton too normal. The so-called normality of Professor Edward Wotton I refer to is relative to Hawking and Nash. During this Beijing International Mathematicians Conference, Hawking and Nash were besieged and chased. I think it is not entirely due to people’s enthusiasm for their theories, but mainly because of the legendary nature of their special experiences. That’s it