their stability. History The Hopf link is named after topologist Heinz Hopf, who considered it in 1931 as part of his research on the Hopf fibration. However, in mathematics, it was known to Carl Friedrich Gauss before the work of Hopf. It has also long been used outside mathematics, for instance as the crest of Buzan-ha, a Japanese Buddhist sect founded in the 16th century. See also Borromean rings, a link with three closed loops Catenane, a molecule with two linked loops Solomon's knot, two loops which are doubly linked References External links "LinkProt" - the database of known protein links. Prime knots and links