Manjul Bhargava - 142,857: A Magical Number Everyone Should Know

The 2026 Einstein Lectures will focus on the topic of number theory. From 19 to 20 October, 2026, Fields Medalist Manjul Bhargava will give three lectures on this topic. "142,857: A Magical Number Everyone Should Know" is the first of three Einstein Lectures. We will explore the surprising magic hidden inside the number 142,857. This number exhibits a host of truly astonishing properties — some familiar, others delightfully unexpected — and sits at the crossroads of number theory, magic, and illusion. We will discuss why this number is so special, how to create others like it, and what it means to “classify” such magical numbers. Along the way, we’ll be led to the very frontier of mathematics, where these curiosities connect to one of the greatest mathematical mysteries of our time: the Riemann Hypothesis.