Largest prime number discovered (so far)!

[EricNau]

Funny, when I type that number into the Apple Calculator it says "infinity."

Anyway, I don't understand; how will finding large prime numbers help in cryptography?

 

[grapes911]

Here is a good article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_key_cryptography

Basically though, RSA (and others) is built on the assumption that when prime numbers are large enough, they're nearly impossible to generate and determine.

 

[muffinman]

think of all the starving children that could be fed with the money that went to power this useless operation

 

[clayj]

think of all the starving children that could be fed with the money that went to power this useless operation

You're kidding, right? Should we all drop EVERYTHING we're doing and concentrate on fixing one problem at a time? Because world hunger is a problem that is realistically NEVER going to go away.

And I can think of bigger problems than people going hungry. Let's all stop everything we're doing and concentrate on... hmm... getting rid of ALL weapons. While we're doing that, we won't invest one thin dime in researching cures for diseases, alternative energy sources, or anything else that's science.

Maybe you wanna pour your money and time into aiding the hungry... but that doesn't mean we all have to do it.

 

[muffinman]

You're kidding, right? Should we all drop EVERYTHING we're doing and concentrate on fixing one problem at a time? Because world hunger is a problem that is realistically NEVER going to go away.

And I can think of bigger problems than people going hungry. Let's all stop everything we're doing and concentrate on... hmm... getting rid of ALL weapons. While we're doing that, we won't invest one thin dime in researching cures for diseases, alternative energy sources, or anything else that's science.

Maybe you wanna pour your money and time into aiding the hungry... but that doesn't mean we all have to do it.

Well, that might be taking it a bit to far

I'm not saying that everything should be dropped and all attention should be diverted to saving the children. And yet, more light should be shined down on this subject. The same with the people in Darfour province in Africa. The same with the struggles of the North Koreans.

And yet, there are some things in this world that have a higher priority than others. While finding the largest prime number might be the number one task for someone, in the big scheme of things, it does not really mean much. Our prime (no pun intended) task is do focus on things that could further humanity.

That is not to say that we should not be doing other things.

 

[clayj]

I'm not saying that everything should be dropped and all attention should be diverted to saving the children. And yet, more light should be shined down on this subject. The same with the people in Darfour province in Africa. The same with the struggles of the North Koreans.

And yet, there are some things in this world that have a higher priority than others. While finding the largest prime number might be the number one task for someone, in the big scheme of things, it does not really mean much. Our prime (no pun intended) task is do focus on things that could further humanity.

Well, in all seriousness, the problems in the countries you mentioned (Sudan, North Korea), as well as the problems in OTHER countries (Somalia, China, most of the rest of Africa), are often the result of their own governments or people. Sudan/Darfour is experiencing a civil war with ethnic and religious origins. North Korea is run by a psycho. Somalia was (and perhaps still is) run by warlords who care even less about their people than YOU do.

So if you're proposing that we go into these countries and displace their leadership, I'm with ya. Throwing charity at them usually doesn't work, as whoever's in charge there usually takes the charity for themselves or lets it spoil on the docks.

Until such time as things change and charity does not equal pouring your money down a rat hole, I'd rather spend money on scientific endeavours that will at least benefit SOMEONE.

 

[andiwm2003]

Well, in all seriousness, the problems in the countries you mentioned (Sudan, North Korea), as well as the problems in OTHER countries (Somalia, China, most of the rest of Africa), are often the result of their own governments or people. Sudan/Darfour is experiencing a civil war with ethnic and religious origins. North Korea is run by a psycho. Somalia was (and perhaps still is) run by warlords who care even less about their people than YOU do.

So if you're proposing that we go into these countries and displace their leadership, I'm with ya. Throwing charity at them usually doesn't work, as whoever's in charge there usually takes the charity for themselves or lets it spoil on the docks.

Until such time as things change and charity does not equal pouring your money down a rat hole, I'd rather spend money on scientific endeavours that will at least benefit SOMEONE.

not very PC but i agree with you.

as for the basic research: 2500 years of experience show that pointless research in the long run leads often to huge benefits for humanity. on top of that knowledge has a value of its own.

also, the people working on this pointless prime number are now probably extremly qualified in mathematics, cryptography and what not. these people are now available to the job market and will do useful things.

 

[sushi]

North Korea is run by a psycho.

Having been in that part of the world, I would wholeheartedly agree!

 

[Abstract]

Why not use that computer time folding or SETI or something else with potential.

ahahahaha!! Hahahahhaaaahahaa!!

 

[iDM]

It is 2^30402457 - 1... yay!

http://www.cnn.com/2006/EDUCATION/01/04/largest.prime.number.ap/index.html

Good thing someone figured this out I was losing alot of sleep

 

[Jesus]

not any more

Not anymore, using the same law I can make a new biggest prime number:

2^(2^30402457 - 1) - 1

2^(2^(2^30402457 - 1) - 1) -1

etc etc

 

[neocell]

Not anymore, using the same law I can make a new biggest prime number:

2^(2^30402457 - 1) - 1

2^(2^(2^30402457 - 1) - 1) -1

etc etc

I think it's time to go back to math class.
A subset of prime numbers entitled Mersenne prime numbers fit the formula 2 to whatever power -1, this doesn't mean that every 2 to whatever power -1 number is a prime number

 

[savar]

No, but with Quantum computers 10, 20, 30 years away we will need them.

Quantum computing will (theoretically) give us constant time algorithms for factoring primes. It doesn't matter how large they are. If QC was suddenly available tomorrow, it would break every public key encryption system on the planet. (The result would be utter catastrophe, let's hope we have new algorithms in place before QC arrives.)

 

[Doctor Q]

Quantum computing will (theoretically) give us constant time algorithms for factoring primes. It doesn't matter how large they are. If QC was suddenly available tomorrow, it would break every public key encryption system on the planet. (The result would be utter catastrophe, let's hope we have new algorithms in place before QC arrives.)

The same technology may let us generate and test new algorithms to perform encryption. So the cure may arrive along with the ailment.

Even more fascinating is the idea that, because of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, a communication system could be set up so that a message is destroyed by the act of reading it. While messages could be stolen, this couldn't be done without modifying the message. Therefore, any message that arrives intact is known not to have been observed in transit!

 

[emw]

Even more fascinating is the idea that, because of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, a communication system could be set up so that a message is destroyed by the act of reading it.

This has already been accomplished. It's known by the common name of "Lotus Notes."

 

[Lacero]

Isn't that the paradoxical nature of Quantum physics? Just observing something, you're changing it. Thus, we are arsed.

Here's to the Crazy Ones ​

 

[Doctor Q]

Isn't that the paradoxical nature of Quantum physics? Just observing something, you're changing it. Thus, we are arsed.

Sorry, Lacero, but I couldn't read your message. I guess somebody else read it first, which spoiled it for the rest of us.

 

[eRondeau]

Sorry to burst your bubble...

...but I just divided it by 2^24573040 - 1 and it worked out evenly.

Back to the old chalk board.

 

[Abstract]

Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that's why there are no signs of life there.

Um.........I think Doctor Q must have read Lacero's post before I did, unless that's what Lacero actually posted.