Mathematician Frank Merle, the sole winner of the Breakthrough Prize, an award established by Silicon Valley's wealthiest individuals

Three million dollars for a mathematician, not for a startup. In a few days, Frank Merle, 63, will take the stage in Los Angeles to receive the Breakthrough Prize – an award funded by the wealth of Silicon Valley tech giants, such as Sergey Brin of Google and Mark Zuckerberg of Meta. Yet Merle is not the typical media-darling genius: he is only the third Frenchman in history to win this award in mathematics, in a field – analysis – that many consider too abstract to “make the news.” But here comes the twist: Merle's true value lies not only in his scientific achievements, but in the way he has created a school of thought capable of transcending borders, cultures, and generations. While the world expects the Breakthrough Prize to celebrate spectacular discoveries, Merle shares, in an emotional voice, that science is “beautiful” precisely because it is made up of sharing, friendship, travel, and encounters. He says this in the middle of an interview, when his voice cracks and he apologizes: “It’s the enthusiasm!” – and in that moment, you realize that behind the millions of dollars is a man who has built bridges rather than formulas. Born in 1961, Frank Merle has worked for decades in France and abroad, training entire generations of mathematicians. He has produced not only theorems, but a veritable school of thought, recognized worldwide for its analysis of partial differential equations. His colleagues say that Merle doesn't just solve problems; he builds communities: students still remember his lectures, which, yes, were about numbers, but also about friendship and culture. One scene stands out: after an hour of interview, Merle pauses, takes a sip of water, and says that the best part of science is the human journey that goes with it. He is not the typical winner of a multi-million-dollar prize, because for him, the greatest reward is seeing his students, now scattered across universities around the world, uphold a philosophy of openness and dialogue. But there is one striking detail: the Breakthrough Prize was created by those who made their fortunes in technology, yet here it celebrates a way of doing science that goes in the opposite direction to the individualistic mindset of Silicon Valley. Merle demonstrates that success, in mathematics as in life, is not measured solely by numbers or titles, but by the ability to build communities that endure. This is the true revolution hidden behind a $3 million check: mathematics can be a collective endeavor, not a competition of soloists. If you think that major prizes go only to those who work alone in the silence of a laboratory, Merle is the living refutation of that notion. His story teaches us that the most groundbreaking research flourishes where there is sharing, not isolation. If you believe that mathematics is all about formulas and solitude, listen to Merle's voice: she says that the beauty of science lies in the people who journey through it together. On Lara Notes, you can use I'm In to indicate whether this vision of science resonates with you or whether you believe that the true value lies in building communities. And when you tell this story to someone—perhaps while discussing billion-dollar prizes and friendship in the halls of a university—on Lara Notes, you can tag those who were there using Shared Offline, so that your conversation also becomes part of the network. This content comes from Le Monde and has saved you several minutes compared to the original article.