Having a background in both mathematics and journalism, I'm interested in examples of previously barely recognized mathematical achievements that received recognition after having been given attention by journalists through expository articles.

A good example is given by Victor Protsak's [answer](https://mathoverflow.net/a/25638/93724) to the MO question "Major mathematical advancements past age fifty", where he mentions the work of Thomas Royen. His proof of the Gaussian Correlation Inequality received little attention upon its publication in 2014. It was only after Natalie Wolchover [published](https://www.quantamagazine.org/statistician-proves-gaussian-correlation-inequality-20170328) a Quanta article in 2017 that he was given wide public and academic acclaim - as stated on his [wiki page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Royen).

**Question**: are there other examples of mathematical work that were long forgotten or barely recognized, only to be revived by journalists who wrote up a story on the theorem(s) and the history behind them?