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Millennium Prize Problems Lecture – Javier Gómez-Serrano: Navier-Stokes Existence or Breakdown
Date: March 11, 2026
Time: 5:00–6:00 pm
Location: Harvard Science Center Hall C, 1 Oxford St., Cambridge MA & via Zoom Webinar
Speaker: Javier Gómez-Serrano, Brown University
Title: Navier-Stokes Existence or Breakdown
Abstract: The Navier-Stokes equations have been the cornerstone of fluid dynamics for over a century, accurately describing the motion of viscous fluids such as water and air. However, despite their fundamental importance to mathematics and physics, a profound question remains unanswered: do solutions to these equations always exist for all time, or can they break down and develop singularities (points where the equations lose their validity)? In this Millennium Prize Problems Lecture, I will explore the current mathematical landscape surrounding the Navier-Stokes and related equations. The talk will discuss the historical context, the ongoing search for global regularity versus finite-time blowup, and the latest analytical and computational breakthroughs pushing the boundaries of what we know about fluid behavior.
Read more about the Navier-Stokes Equation at the Clay Math website.
Organizers: Martin Bridson, Clay Mathematics Institute | Dan Freed, Harvard University and CMSA | Mike Hopkins, Harvard University
