Researching with infinite patience

Once, in 2012, they thought they had reached their goal: Prof. Ralf Schindler and Prof. David Asperó presented to their community of fellow mathematicians a proof designed to unite two hitherto competing assumptions in set theory. Shortly afterwards the pair of researchers had to back-pedal after a colleague had discovered an error in their presentation. "As a mathematician you definitely need high frustration tolerance," says Schindler, a professor at the Institute of Mathematical Logic and Foundational Research at the University of Münster.

But staying on the ball - despite setbacks - can pay off: a few years later, while driving on holiday in Italy, David Asperó suddenly had a brainwave showing how their proof might work after all. ...