ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Elliptic cohomology

Okay kiddo, today we're going to talk about something called elliptic cohomology. Now, you know what cohomology means, right? It's a fancy word for understanding the structure of shapes, and it involves looking at how those shapes fit together.

Now, the reason we're talking about elliptic cohomology is because it's a way to understand shapes that have a special kind of symmetry. You know how a circle is symmetrical because it looks the same no matter which way you turn it? Well, there are other shapes that have this kind of symmetry too, but they're a little different.

The shapes we're talking about are called elliptic curves. They look kind of like a squished circle, but instead of being perfectly round, they have a special kind of curve to them. These curves are important in things like cryptography, which is how we keep information secret and safe online.

Now, when we think about shapes like circles and squares, we can understand their structure using something called ordinary cohomology. But when we're dealing with elliptic curves, we need elliptic cohomology to understand their structure. It's kind of like a special tool that helps us unlock the secrets of these unique shapes.

So, to sum up, elliptic cohomology is a special way of understanding the structure of shapes that have a special kind of symmetry, like elliptic curves. It's like a special tool that helps us understand these shapes and their secrets better. Pretty cool, right?