New World's Biggest Prime Number (PRINTED FULLY ON PAPER) - Numberphile

TL;DR

A newly discovered Mersenne prime with over 22 million digits sets a world record.

Transcript

MATT PARKER: Ok, there is a new world record largest prime number ever just announced yesterday and today I had a special delivery, this arrived in the post. In here we have the newly discovered Mersenne prime. In here is 2 to the power of 74,207,281 (make sure I get that right) and if you actually were BRADY HARAN: Minus one? MATT PARKER: Minus on... Read More

Key Insights

• #️⃣ Discovering prime numbers is a longstanding mathematical pursuit that continues to challenge and fascinate mathematicians.
• 🫷 The new world record prime number, with over 22 million digits, pushes the boundaries of computational mathematics.
• 🌍 Professor Curtis Cooper, known as "Captain Prime," has found multiple world record prime numbers using a network of computers.
• #️⃣ The process of finding prime numbers involves running software that checks candidate numbers for primality.
• 👨‍🔬 The Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) project utilizes distributed computing to search for large prime numbers.
• 🥹 Discovering and holding a world record for prime number discovery requires dedication, computational resources, and perhaps a bit of luck.
• 🌥️ The challenge of finding new prime numbers is increasing as records are continuously broken with larger and larger numbers.

Questions & Answers

Q: How long is the newly discovered Mersenne prime number?

The new Mersenne prime has over 22 million digits, making it a massive number to comprehend and write out. Printing it would be a significant endeavor due to its size.

Q: How are prime numbers typically found?

Prime numbers are commonly found using software that checks candidate numbers for primality. These programs run on computers, testing numbers in the hopes of discovering new primes.

Q: Who is the mathematician behind the recent world record prime number discovery?

Professor Curtis Cooper of the University of Central Missouri is the mathematician who found the new world record prime number, solidifying his position as a prolific prime number discoverer.

Q: What is the process of verifying a newly found prime number?

While computers may discover prime numbers, human verification is essential for a new prime number to be officially recognized and considered a world record.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• A new world record largest prime number, 2 to the power of 74,207,281 minus 1, was discovered.

• The prime number has over 22 million digits and was found by Professor Curtis Cooper at the University of Central Missouri.

• Finding prime numbers is a challenging and rewarding pursuit for mathematicians.