Portrait of John Conway

This is a short and engaging portrait of John Conway, one of the world’s most recognized mathematicians.

http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2012/03/01/30161/

Conway is decidedly eccentric, which is not uncommon in the world of mathematics.  He loves magic, juggling, and games, and has something of a a reputation as an odd chap.   But his mathematical contributions are numerous and substantial:  Conway’s Game of Life in and of itself is a remarkable mathematical construction, but he is also credited with inventing (or discovering?) surreal numbers.  Conway has also contributed to the theory of sphere packing.

The article above, from the Daily Princetonian, is a quick and lively read, a fun portrait of a brilliant and curious man.