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'Beautiful Mind' mathematician John Nash killed in crash | 'Beautiful Mind' mathematician John Nash killed in crash |
(about 5 hours later) | |
US mathematician John Nash, who inspired the Oscar-winning film A Beautiful Mind, has died in a car crash with his wife, police have said. | US mathematician John Nash, who inspired the Oscar-winning film A Beautiful Mind, has died in a car crash with his wife, police have said. |
Nash, 86, and his 82-year-old wife Alicia were killed when their taxi crashed in New Jersey, they said. | Nash, 86, and his 82-year-old wife Alicia were killed when their taxi crashed in New Jersey, they said. |
The mathematician is renowned for his work in game theory, winning the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1994. | The mathematician is renowned for his work in game theory, winning the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1994. |
His breakthroughs in maths - and his struggles with schizophrenia - were the focus of the 2001 film. | His breakthroughs in maths - and his struggles with schizophrenia - were the focus of the 2001 film. |
Russell Crowe, who played him, tweeted: "Stunned... My heart goes out to John & Alicia & family. An amazing partnership. Beautiful minds, beautiful hearts." | Russell Crowe, who played him, tweeted: "Stunned... My heart goes out to John & Alicia & family. An amazing partnership. Beautiful minds, beautiful hearts." |
The film's director, Ron Howard, also tweeted his tribute to the "brilliant" John Nash and his "remarkable" wife. | The film's director, Ron Howard, also tweeted his tribute to the "brilliant" John Nash and his "remarkable" wife. |
Alicia Nash helped care for her husband, and the two later became prominent mental health advocates. | Alicia Nash helped care for her husband, and the two later became prominent mental health advocates. |
The two were thrown from their vehicle, police said. Media reports said the couple may not have been wearing seatbelts when they crashed. | The two were thrown from their vehicle, police said. Media reports said the couple may not have been wearing seatbelts when they crashed. |
Their taxi driver, and a passenger in another car, were also injured. | Their taxi driver, and a passenger in another car, were also injured. |
'Genius' | 'Genius' |
Born in Bluefield, West Virginia, Nash first studied in Pittsburgh before moving to Princeton. | Born in Bluefield, West Virginia, Nash first studied in Pittsburgh before moving to Princeton. |
His recommendation letter contained just one line: "This man is a genius." | |
Nash married Alicia Larde in 1957, after publishing some of his breakthrough works in game theory, which is the mathematical study of decision-making. | |
But he developed severe schizophrenia soon after, and Alicia had him committed for psychiatric care several times. The couple divorced in 1962. | But he developed severe schizophrenia soon after, and Alicia had him committed for psychiatric care several times. The couple divorced in 1962. |
"I was disturbed in this way for a very long period of time, like 25 years," Nash said in an interview on the Nobel website. | "I was disturbed in this way for a very long period of time, like 25 years," Nash said in an interview on the Nobel website. |
The two stayed close, and his condition had begun to improve by the 1980s. They remarried in 2001. | The two stayed close, and his condition had begun to improve by the 1980s. They remarried in 2001. |
The President of Princeton, Christopher Eisgruber, said he was "stunned and saddened" to hear of their deaths. | The President of Princeton, Christopher Eisgruber, said he was "stunned and saddened" to hear of their deaths. |
"John's remarkable achievements inspired generations of mathematicians, economists and scientists who were influenced by his brilliant, groundbreaking work in game theory," he said. | "John's remarkable achievements inspired generations of mathematicians, economists and scientists who were influenced by his brilliant, groundbreaking work in game theory," he said. |
Even this week, Nash received the Abel Prize, another top honour in the field of mathematics. | Even this week, Nash received the Abel Prize, another top honour in the field of mathematics. |
Nash Equilibrium, by John Moriarty, Manchester University | |
Great new mathematical ideas have a balance to strike - they must be precise enough to allow detailed conclusions to be drawn, and yet sufficiently loose that they can be useful in a wide range of problems. | |
The Nash Equilibrium, for which he won a Nobel Prize, is just such an idea. It offered something truly new - the ability to analyse situations of conflict and co-operation and produce predictions about how people will behave. | |
Nash's famous equilibrium has grown to be perhaps the most important idea in economic analysis and has found application in fields as diverse as computing, evolutionary biology and artificial intelligence. | |
More recently it has been used in studies of corruption and also name-checked amidst the Greek financial crisis. | |
Nash and game theory, by John Moriarty, Manchester University | |