Mathematics: Peter Lax died, revolutionised science and technology with calculators
Among his most significant discoveries are Lax's equivalence theorem and Lax's entropy condition, which have had enormous repercussions both in pure mathematics and in its practical applications
2' min read
2' min read
US naturalised Hungarian mathematician Peter Lax, who revolutionised science and technology with calculators, pioneering the adoption of supercomputers in the applied sciences, died on Friday 16 May at his Manhattan home at the age of 99.
The news of the death was confirmed by his son James D. Lax to the 'New York Times', who explained that the cause was amyloid cardiomyopathy.
He was professor emeritus at New York University, where he was also director of the Atomic Energy Commission's Centre for Computation and Applied Mathematics (1964-72) and director of the Courant institute of mathematical sciences (1972-80).
Born in Budapest on 1 May 1926, Lax was placed in the care of Hungarian mathematicians Rósza Péter and Dénes Kőnig at an early age. When his family, of Jewish origin, emigrated to the United States (1941) to escape anti-Semitic persecution by the Nazis, Kőnig pointed him out to John von Neumann, who became his mentor.
Lax was one of the most influential figures in 20th century applied mathematics. His career had a lasting impact not only in the field of mathematical theory, but also in practical applications in science and technology, making a decisive contribution to solving Cold War technical problems, from aircraft and weapons design to weather forecasting.
