Abel, the Mozart of Mathematics

Niels Henrik Abel (1802–1829), often referred to as the "Mozart of Mathematics," made significant contributions to various fields of pure mathematics despite his brief life, which ended at 26 due to tuberculosis. Largely self-taught, Abel was born on the island of Finnøy in Norway and faced a tumultuous childhood marked by his father's alcoholism. He achieved a groundbreaking result at 21 by proving that there is no general algebraic solution for quintic equations, a problem that had remained unresolved for over 250 years. This work laid the groundwork for group theory. At 22, he published a pivotal paper on elliptic integrals, which later influenced the development of elliptic functions. Despite his talents, Abel struggled to secure a permanent academic position during his lifetime. Ironically, just two days after his death, he received an appointment as Professor of Mathematics at the University of Berlin. Abel's early education was shaped by his experiences at Christiania Cathedral School, where he initially showed little interest in mathematics until a new teacher inspired him. His academic journey continued at the Royal Frederick University, where he excelled in mathematics but faced financial hardships. Throughout his life, Abel received support from various patrons who recognized his potential, although many did not fully grasp the significance of his work.

- Niels Henrik Abel made pioneering contributions to mathematics despite a short life.

- He proved the impossibility of solving quintic equations algebraically, laying the foundation for group theory.

- Abel's work on elliptic integrals was crucial for the later development of elliptic functions.

- He struggled to find stable academic positions during his lifetime.

- Abel's legacy was recognized posthumously with an appointment to a prestigious university.