Historic Breakthroughs in Number Theory: The Inaugural Justin Sun Prize Honors Groundbreaking Solutions to Six Erdős Problems

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND — In a landmark development bridging foundational mathematics, cutting-edge computer science, and modern philanthropic support, the Office of Justin Sun announced the inaugural recipients of the Justin Sun Prize on October 5, 2026. The prestigious awards recognize extraordinary contributions to solving six long-standing challenges from the legendary collection of mathematical problems posed by the late Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős.

The first-ever laureates of the initiative are Wouter van Doorn, an independent number theorist; Quanyu Tang, a mathematics Ph.D. student at the University of Science and Technology of China; and Yanyang Li, a mathematics researcher at Nanjing’s Southeast University. Their collaborative and individual efforts have successfully cracked or formally verified solutions to Erdős problems numbered #369, #457, #469, #650, #1044, and #1196.

Beyond celebrating pure mathematical prowess, this milestone highlights an unprecedented paradigm shift in how complex mathematical research is conducted. By seamlessly blending human intuition with cutting-edge artificial intelligence—specifically utilizing tools like ChatGPT for conceptual strategy and the advanced automated reasoning system Aristotle for formal verification in the Lean software language—these researchers have set a new gold standard for rigor, transparency, and reproducibility in modern science.

Main Facts: The Inaugural Laureates and Their Triumphs

The Justin Sun Prize was established to reward breakthroughs in mathematics, formal verification, and AI-assisted scientific discovery. Operating on a decentralized philosophy that values the absolute truth and verifiability of a proof over academic pedigree or institutional status, the prize committee evaluated submissions strictly on their scientific merit.

The inaugural cohort represents a diverse and globally distributed network of mathematical talent:

• Wouter van Doorn: An independent number theorist whose journey in mathematics began as an undergraduate in 2010. Though he stepped away from traditional academia following the completion of his master’s degree, van Doorn continued his independent research, eventually producing computer-checkable formal proofs for several complex Erdős problems.
• Quanyu Tang (唐权泉): A brilliant Ph.D. candidate at the University of Science of Technology of China whose academic interests span number theory, combinatorics, and the burgeoning field of AI-assisted mathematical discovery. Tang independently resolved Erdős Problem #1044 and collaborated extensively on other core problems.
• Yanyang Li: A researcher based at the School of Mathematics at Southeast University in Nanjing, China, whose analytical contributions were vital to solving shared problems within the multi-author collaborative framework.

The problems addressed by the laureates originate from a comprehensive catalog compiled and maintained by Thomas Bloom, a mathematician and Royal Society University Research Fellow at the University of Manchester. Containing over 1,200 entries, the Erdős problem catalog is renowned for featuring questions that are deceptively simple to state yet notoriously difficult to solve, having shaped the trajectory of modern combinatorics and number theory for decades.

Chronology of Discovery: How the Solutions Unfolded

The path to resolving these six Erdős problems unfolded through a meticulous combination of traditional mathematical deduction, digital collaboration, and advanced computational verification.

The Collaboration on Problem #650

The cornerstone of the group’s success was the joint resolution of Erdős Problem #650, which asked researchers to determine precisely how many integers can always be matched to distinct multiples within a specified interval. Wouter van Doorn and Quanyu Tang partnered with Yanyang Li to tackle this intricate question.

Crucially, the team utilized a hybrid methodology. While human mathematical reasoning drove the foundational hypotheses, generative artificial intelligence played a supportive role: ChatGPT assisted in developing the overarching proof strategy, while Aristotle, a specialized AI system for mathematical reasoning, successfully repaired a critical logical gap during the formalization process in Lean—an interactive theorem prover. Once the logic was soundly checked by the machine, the researchers simplified the argument and authored the final, highly rigorous proofs.

Independent Triumphs in Formal Verification and Bounds

In addition to the collaborative work on #650, van Doorn focused heavily on translating complex historical problems into machine-verifiable code using the Lean software ecosystem. His efforts yielded computer-checkable proofs for:

• Problem #369: Concentrating on consecutive integers restricted by specific prime factors.
• Problem #457: Examining whether a short sequence of consecutive integers can collectively contain every prime number within a given range.
• Problem #469: Exploring whether the reciprocals of a specialized class of numbers—expressible as sums of their divisors—converge toward a finite total.

Simultaneously, Quanyu Tang independently conquered Problem #1044, establishing a sharp lower limit for the boundary lengths of geometric regions defined by polynomial equations. Furthermore, Tang joined forces with Yanyang Li and a broader team of researchers to crack Problem #1196, which successfully bounds weighted sums across sets of integers where no single member evenly divides another.

Supporting Data and Technical Architecture

The work recognized by the Justin Sun Prize is entirely open-source, reinforcing the initiative’s commitment to public benefit and academic transparency. All proofs, codebases, and supplementary documentation have been made publicly accessible via the official Justin Sun Prize GitHub repository.

To accommodate the modern, borderless nature of global scientific collaboration, the financial awards associated with the prize are distributed flexibly. Laureates have the option to receive their prize funds in stablecoins—specifically USDT on the TRON network (TRC-20) or USDC on the Ethereum network (ERC-20)—reflecting the intersection of high-technology finance and academic patronage.

The Problem Catalog Overview

• Total Problems in Bloom Catalog: Over 1,200 open and resolved challenges.
• Problems Addressed by Laureates: #369, #457, #469, #650, #1044, and #1196.
• Verification Software Utilized: Lean (interactive theorem prover).
• AI Models Utilized: ChatGPT (strategy formulation) and Aristotle (formal logic repair).

Official Responses and Perspectives

The announcement has sent ripples through both the mathematical community and the technology sector, highlighting the evolving synergy between human genius and artificial intelligence.

Reflecting on his journey and the collaborative nature of the breakthrough, Quanyu Tang shared his perspective:

"This experience taught me how public feedback can sharpen a research question, and how AI-assisted discovery can combine mathematical judgment, collaboration, and rigorous verification."

The initiative itself was founded by digital asset pioneer and philanthropist Justin Sun. Designed as a long-term commitment to reinvest wealth generated within the technology and blockchain sectors back into foundational sciences, the prize seeks to honor discoveries that will stand the test of time.

Organizers emphasized that the decentralized nature of the award ensures that brilliance is recognized regardless of a researcher’s academic affiliation, geographic location, or institutional standing. By linking classical mathematical challenges directly to machine-verifiable proofs, the prize aims to inaugurate a new era of unassailable scientific certainty.

Broader Implications for Science, AI, and Blockchain

The successful resolution and formal verification of these six Erdős problems carry profound implications across multiple disciplines:

1. The Validation of AI in Formal Mathematics

For years, skeptics questioned whether artificial intelligence could genuinely contribute to high-level theoretical mathematics or if it was merely capable of pattern-matching text. By utilizing ChatGPT to brainstorm strategies and Aristotle to close logical gaps in Lean, this cohort of researchers has proven that AI can act as a legitimate co-pilot in rigorous mathematical discovery. Formal verification ensures that human error and AI hallucinations are completely filtered out, resulting in mathematically bulletproof conclusions.

2. Democratization of Scientific Research

The success of independent researcher Wouter van Doorn challenges the traditional ivory-tower model of academia. By lowering barriers to entry and evaluating submissions strictly on the elegance and verifiability of the proof, initiatives like the Justin Sun Prize empower independent thinkers, garage researchers, and scholars from developing regions to make world-class contributions to human knowledge.

3. Philanthropy Meets Decentralized Infrastructure

Funded by the Office of Justin Sun and utilizing blockchain rails (such as TRON and Ethereum stablecoins) for rapid, frictionless global distribution of awards, the prize demonstrates practical use cases for Web3 infrastructure in supporting global public goods. TRON, which has processed over $13 trillion in volume and serves as a financial lifeline for millions in emerging markets, continues to expand its footprint into scientific research, education, and technological innovation.

About the Office of Justin Sun and the Justin Sun Prize

The Office of Justin Sun oversees global business, philanthropic, and public initiatives spanning blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, scientific research, space exploration, and the arts. Justin Sun, founder of TRON and former Ambassador of Grenada to the World Trade Organization, established the Justin Sun Prize to foster advancements in mathematics and automated verification.

For further details regarding the prize catalog, laureate contributions, and submission guidelines, interested parties can visit the official Justin Sun Prize portal or reach out via email at [email protected].