Kervaire-Milnor Theorem
The Kervaire-Milnor Theorem is a significant result in the field of topology, specifically in the study of high-dimensional manifolds. It states that there are exotic smooth structures on spheres in dimensions greater than four. This means that there are differentiable structures on these spheres that are not equivalent to the standard smooth structure.
The theorem was proven by mathematicians Jean Kervaire and John Milnor in the 1960s. Their work has implications for understanding the classification of manifolds and has influenced further research in differential topology and homotopy theory. The theorem highlights the complexity and richness of geometric structures in higher dimensions.