Dr. Shinichi Mochizuki, a mathematician at Kyoto University, recently claimed proof of the ABC conjecture, an unsolved problem in number theory which was initially proposed independently by two mathematicians in 1985 and 1988. Since then, many mathematicians have attempted to prove this theory. This news was reported worldwide as a significant advance in science, and was a welcome success for Japan, during a somber time due to the coronavirus pandemic.
     Dr. Mochizuki's proof has attracted worldwide attention because if the ABC conjecture is indeed correct, it could prove many other important unsolved problems in mathematics. Some researchers in the community are skeptical of his proof, and there is still controversy as to whether his proof is correct. Vetting Dr. Mochizuki’s theory took an unprecedented amount of time. It is said that only a few people in the world can fully understand his theory.
His idea is that when we assume there is another universe from our own, and if these two universes could communicate with one another, the translation of this communication would be described as an equation. This translation is the foundation of his theory. Please see the following URL for further information.
When Einstein’s theory of relativity was first published, similar to Mochizuki’s theory, only a few people could understand it due to its complexity.         Nowadays, with our increased knowledge, Einstein's theory of relativity is considered part of a comprehensive education for those hardworking students that have a good knowledge of high school mathematics and physics. Amazingly, it has been just over 100 years since the theory of relativity was proven. In this time, science has developed a framework for understanding it. I am excited to think that the day will come when we will be able to understand Dr. Mochizuki's theory. Accumulation of knowledge over time gives us greater understanding. This is the essence of science, and it is truly amazing.