Math Genius Turned Down $1M Prize 'Because It's Unfair'

The reclusive Russian genius who solved one of math's most baffling problems has finally explained why he doesn't want the cool million that he won for doing so: It's just not fair. Grigory Perelman, who refused to speak to reporters camped outside his roach-infested St. Petersburg flat after his feat was announced in March, told the Interfax news agency that his contribution to solving the Poincare conjecture was no greater than that of Richard Hamilton, who first proposed a solution for the problem, reports the Daily Mail.

“To put it short,” he said, “the main reason is my disagreement with the organized mathematical community. I don’t like their decisions; I consider them unjust.” The institute that tried to award the cash will meet this fall to decide what to do with the prize money. (More Grigory Perelman stories.)