Starting in the 1930s, Nicolas Bourbaki published dozens of papers, becoming a famous mathematician. There was just one problem: he didn't exist. Join Ira in this hour on Science Friday for a conversation with Amir Aczel about the genius mathematician who never existed.

Plus, a medical mystery: D.T. Max tells the story of a family that couldn't sleep. The family suffered from a disease called fatal familial insomnia. It's thought to be caused by prions, incorrectly folded brain proteins that also are responsible for mad cow disease. Upon onset of the disease's symptoms, typically around middle age, people suffering from the illness become unable to sleep. They die within months. We'll talk with the author about about one family's case, and their efforts to find a cure.

Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (3-4 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
D.T. Max
Science writer
Author, “The Family That Couldn't Sleep: A Medical Mystery” (Random House, 2006)
Alexandria, Virginia

*********

Amir Aczel
Author, "The Artist and the Mathematician: The Story of Nicolas Bourbaki, the Genius Mathematician Who Never Existed" (Thunder's Mouth Press, 2006)
Visiting scholar in the History of Science at Harvard University
Research fellow, Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University
Boston, Massachusetts

Books/Articles Discussed:

"The Artist and the Mathematician: The Story of Nicolas Bourbaki, the Genius Mathematician Who Never Existed" by Amir Aczel. Thunder's Mouth Press, 2006.

"The Family That Couldn't Sleep: A Medical Mystery” by D.T. Max. Random House, 2006.

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)

Search by keywords:

This segment produced by Karin Vergoth