Georg Cantor
1845–1918 · German (born in Russia) · Victorian Era
Known for: Created set theory and proved there are different sizes of infinity
Georg Cantor proved that the real numbers are 'more infinite' than the natural numbers—one of the most shocking results in mathematics. His diagonal argument showed that infinity comes in different sizes, an idea that made him either a revolutionary or a heretic, depending on who you asked.
His former teacher Kronecker called him a 'scientific charlatan.' Cantor suffered repeated mental breakdowns and spent his final years in a sanatorium. He died in poverty.
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