The asymmetry in storytelling between math and the other sciences
>Even when researchers do want their work shared widely, why don’t we read more about the fuel that makes math grow? “The physicists tell exciting stories,” Vogan said. “In some ways, this is a failure of mathematicians to tell exciting stories.” The physicists also have better names. Black hole and God particle quicken the pulse somewhat more than “irreducible unitary representation.”Mathematics also has some cute names such as Monstrous Moonshine[1] and Hairy Ball Theorem[2].  I don't understand Monstrous Moonshine but the name had enough poetry to cause stickiness in the brain for later recall.  A math problem closer to layman's experience with a cute name might be the "Secretary Problem".[3]Leaving aside the naming and surveying the "importance" of open math problems... I would guess the P!=NP proof would be an example.  Unfortunately, it doesn't have any easy description that the average person would understand.  The same goes for all the other Clay[4] Millenium problems.[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monstrous_moonshine[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairy_ball_theorem[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secretary_problem[4] http://www.claymath.org/millennium-problems