1 00:00:08,762 --> 00:00:10,202 Speaker 1: Feart originals. 2 00:00:10,362 --> 00:00:17,522 Speaker 2: This is an iHeart original. Would you like to go 3 00:00:17,602 --> 00:00:21,002 Speaker 2: on a treasure hunt without leaving your house? Would you 4 00:00:21,162 --> 00:00:24,562 Speaker 2: like your name in history books? Would you like to 5 00:00:24,642 --> 00:00:30,802 Speaker 2: win fifty thousand dollars? Of course you do, and I 6 00:00:30,882 --> 00:00:37,122 Speaker 2: know a guy who can help. Okay, this is usually 7 00:00:37,242 --> 00:00:40,362 Speaker 2: where we'd play a sound clip from some interview. We did, 8 00:00:40,802 --> 00:00:44,682 Speaker 2: but unfortunately the guy who can help win us fifty 9 00:00:44,722 --> 00:00:49,082 Speaker 2: thousand dollars has been well dead for three hundred and 10 00:00:49,202 --> 00:00:56,282 Speaker 2: seventy six years. His name was Marin Mersenne, and he 11 00:00:57,002 --> 00:01:02,682 Speaker 2: was a friar, you know, robe praying everywhere, receding hairline 12 00:01:02,722 --> 00:01:07,082 Speaker 2: that even God couldn't save. Merceinne used to teach at 13 00:01:07,122 --> 00:01:10,602 Speaker 2: a little college in the city of Nevers, France, and 14 00:01:10,762 --> 00:01:14,202 Speaker 2: he was sort of a big deal. The humble friar 15 00:01:14,522 --> 00:01:19,122 Speaker 2: was a math genius. He famously wrote a book describing 16 00:01:19,202 --> 00:01:23,522 Speaker 2: the physics of music, and he was pals with thinkers 17 00:01:23,642 --> 00:01:29,122 Speaker 2: like Renee Descartes, Thomas Hobbes, and Galileo Galilei. And while 18 00:01:29,202 --> 00:01:32,522 Speaker 2: Marsenne was nerding out over math in the sixteen hundreds, 19 00:01:32,842 --> 00:01:40,882 Speaker 2: he started talking about something weird. A prime number. You know, 20 00:01:41,122 --> 00:01:44,602 Speaker 2: prime numbers, those numbers that can only be divided by 21 00:01:44,842 --> 00:01:50,122 Speaker 2: itself and the number one without a remainder. Mersenne had 22 00:01:50,202 --> 00:01:54,642 Speaker 2: found a prime number that was well special, one that 23 00:01:54,882 --> 00:01:59,602 Speaker 2: was so special, so rare, that he bagged the naming 24 00:01:59,682 --> 00:02:06,762 Speaker 2: rights for it. Mathematicians call them Marsenne primes. Today, finding 25 00:02:07,002 --> 00:02:10,202 Speaker 2: a Marsenne prime in the wild is a lot like 26 00:02:10,242 --> 00:02:16,842 Speaker 2: stumbling into Bigfoot. It's basically impossible. Only fifty one Marsion 27 00:02:16,922 --> 00:02:21,562 Speaker 2: primes have ever been discovered. But there are more Marsens 28 00:02:21,602 --> 00:02:26,002 Speaker 2: out there just waiting to be found, and thousands of 29 00:02:26,082 --> 00:02:29,802 Speaker 2: people are on a mathematical treasure hunt looking for them 30 00:02:30,562 --> 00:02:34,682 Speaker 2: right now. Whoever finds the next Marsenne will get their 31 00:02:34,802 --> 00:02:38,322 Speaker 2: name in the history books and we'll come home with 32 00:02:38,442 --> 00:02:42,322 Speaker 2: a chunk of prize money. But the big secret, the 33 00:02:42,322 --> 00:02:47,482 Speaker 2: next winner could be you, And I'm going to tell 34 00:02:47,522 --> 00:02:55,722 Speaker 2: you how. Welcome to very special episodes and iHeart original podcast. 35 00:02:56,042 --> 00:03:00,842 Speaker 2: I'm your host, Dana Schwartz, and this is prime time, 36 00:03:01,082 --> 00:03:07,922 Speaker 2: the Hunt for Math's most mysterious number. I will say 37 00:03:07,962 --> 00:03:10,322 Speaker 2: that this episode did make me feel like I was 38 00:03:10,362 --> 00:03:14,042 Speaker 2: in like eleventh grade again, having to be sure I 39 00:03:14,122 --> 00:03:17,082 Speaker 2: understood what a prime number was. And I'm just so 40 00:03:17,282 --> 00:03:20,682 Speaker 2: impressed by the people in the world who devote so 41 00:03:20,802 --> 00:03:23,802 Speaker 2: much of their time and energy to just the pursuit 42 00:03:23,842 --> 00:03:27,042 Speaker 2: of knowledge for knowledge's sake. It's something very wholesome and 43 00:03:27,082 --> 00:03:29,522 Speaker 2: it made me inspire to learn more about numbers. 44 00:03:29,762 --> 00:03:32,562 Speaker 1: Well, Dana as somebody who has a GIMPS account and 45 00:03:32,682 --> 00:03:35,362 Speaker 1: does go on searching for prime numbers mers in primes 46 00:03:35,402 --> 00:03:37,682 Speaker 1: in particular, I gotta say thank you, you know, because 47 00:03:37,722 --> 00:03:38,762 Speaker 1: we do care about this. 48 00:03:38,922 --> 00:03:41,242 Speaker 2: You're a hero, Sarin, you know what. 49 00:03:41,362 --> 00:03:43,202 Speaker 1: I don't mean to steal any valor on this one, 50 00:03:43,242 --> 00:03:46,922 Speaker 1: but thank you, I really do. I absolutely love prime numbers. 51 00:03:46,962 --> 00:03:49,882 Speaker 1: I've written two papers and published them about prime numbers. 52 00:03:50,082 --> 00:03:53,282 Speaker 1: I watch Burkhardt Polster from Mythology channel on YouTube. I 53 00:03:53,322 --> 00:03:56,842 Speaker 1: watched three Blue, one Brown on YouTube. I absolutely love 54 00:03:56,882 --> 00:03:59,322 Speaker 1: this and I cannot believe that we make this episode 55 00:03:59,322 --> 00:04:00,922 Speaker 1: and this is how I hear about it. I was like, 56 00:04:00,962 --> 00:04:02,882 Speaker 1: oh my god, Merson Primes. 57 00:04:03,802 --> 00:04:06,882 Speaker 3: Well, I'm picturing one of our listeners being inspired five 58 00:04:06,922 --> 00:04:10,842 Speaker 3: minding the next Merson Prime. Yes they'll get the prize money, 59 00:04:10,842 --> 00:04:13,122 Speaker 3: but I think we'll share in the glory completely. 60 00:04:13,242 --> 00:04:15,762 Speaker 2: We will absolutely have the glories, and that's really what 61 00:04:15,802 --> 00:04:21,402 Speaker 2: this all is for. You probably learned about prime numbers 62 00:04:21,482 --> 00:04:25,202 Speaker 2: in math class back in elementary school. Shout out to 63 00:04:25,242 --> 00:04:28,962 Speaker 2: my fifth grade teacher, Missus Saban, if you weren't paying 64 00:04:29,002 --> 00:04:32,322 Speaker 2: attention during the cold open. A prime number is a 65 00:04:32,402 --> 00:04:35,482 Speaker 2: digit that can be divided only by the number one 66 00:04:35,722 --> 00:04:41,162 Speaker 2: and itself without a remainder. Take the number three, for example, 67 00:04:41,922 --> 00:04:47,122 Speaker 2: it's a prime number, so is eleven and seventeen and 68 00:04:48,442 --> 00:04:51,642 Speaker 2: two billion, one hundred forty seven million, four hundred eighty 69 00:04:51,642 --> 00:04:56,682 Speaker 2: three thousand, six hundred forty seven. So that last prime 70 00:04:57,042 --> 00:05:01,562 Speaker 2: was discovered back in the seventeen seventies by Lenhard Euler, 71 00:05:02,002 --> 00:05:06,842 Speaker 2: one of the most prolific mathematicians in history. Euler is 72 00:05:07,162 --> 00:05:11,362 Speaker 2: just one person in a long line of math geniuses 73 00:05:11,762 --> 00:05:16,922 Speaker 2: who have gone hunting for really, really, really big prime numbers. 74 00:05:17,642 --> 00:05:21,082 Speaker 2: And the reason I'm pointing out his discovery is because 75 00:05:21,162 --> 00:05:25,002 Speaker 2: Eiler's number two billion, one hundred forty seven million, four 76 00:05:25,122 --> 00:05:29,082 Speaker 2: hundred eighty three thousand, six hundred forty seven isn't just 77 00:05:29,162 --> 00:05:34,642 Speaker 2: a prime. It's one of fifty one known mersenne primes. 78 00:05:36,322 --> 00:05:39,642 Speaker 2: Let me introduce you to a guy who can explain why. 79 00:05:40,242 --> 00:05:44,162 Speaker 4: I'm George Waldmorton. For the last twenty seven years we've 80 00:05:44,562 --> 00:05:47,282 Speaker 4: been searching for large prime numbers. 81 00:05:47,522 --> 00:05:52,282 Speaker 2: George Waltman is a retired computer programmer, and he is 82 00:05:52,562 --> 00:05:56,882 Speaker 2: the king of the Mersenne prime number hunt. In fact, 83 00:05:57,002 --> 00:06:00,162 Speaker 2: when we met George over a video call late last year, 84 00:06:00,402 --> 00:06:02,962 Speaker 2: we could barely hear him over the sound of the 85 00:06:03,082 --> 00:06:08,162 Speaker 2: fans cooling his computer. Turns out his puter was hunting 86 00:06:08,282 --> 00:06:12,242 Speaker 2: for a Mersenne prime. As he tells it, he's been 87 00:06:12,282 --> 00:06:16,322 Speaker 2: obsessed with prime numbers for a long long time. 88 00:06:16,922 --> 00:06:21,242 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's basically fulfilling up childhood dream. My dad got 89 00:06:21,242 --> 00:06:23,882 Speaker 4: me interested in priding numbers back when I was seven 90 00:06:23,962 --> 00:06:24,722 Speaker 4: or eight years old. 91 00:06:25,002 --> 00:06:27,802 Speaker 2: When George was a little kid. His dad got a 92 00:06:27,922 --> 00:06:31,362 Speaker 2: letter with a postmark that captured his imagination. 93 00:06:31,842 --> 00:06:36,042 Speaker 4: The postmark had two to the eleven thousand, two hundred 94 00:06:36,042 --> 00:06:39,522 Speaker 4: and thirteen minus one is prime. And it just amazed 95 00:06:39,642 --> 00:06:42,842 Speaker 4: me that someone was able to prove that this three 96 00:06:42,922 --> 00:06:45,242 Speaker 4: thousand digit number was a prime number. 97 00:06:45,322 --> 00:06:49,242 Speaker 2: The number on that postcard was a Mersenne prime, and 98 00:06:49,322 --> 00:06:53,522 Speaker 2: it contained the formula that makes finding a Mersenne prime 99 00:06:53,762 --> 00:06:58,882 Speaker 2: possible two to the power of p minus one. I'll 100 00:06:58,962 --> 00:06:59,802 Speaker 2: let him explain. 101 00:07:00,482 --> 00:07:05,322 Speaker 4: That means you multiply too many, many many times and 102 00:07:05,362 --> 00:07:08,802 Speaker 4: then subtract one, and if you're lucky, you've got a 103 00:07:08,842 --> 00:07:09,802 Speaker 4: big prime number. 104 00:07:11,282 --> 00:07:14,482 Speaker 2: Here's a simple example. Two to the power of three 105 00:07:15,122 --> 00:07:20,202 Speaker 2: two times two times two makes eight. Now subtract one 106 00:07:20,642 --> 00:07:24,642 Speaker 2: that makes seven. Seven is a prime, and since we 107 00:07:24,682 --> 00:07:28,962 Speaker 2: can find it with Marin Marsenne's special formula, we can 108 00:07:29,002 --> 00:07:34,042 Speaker 2: call it a Marsenne prime. Now, let's try it with 109 00:07:34,162 --> 00:07:38,002 Speaker 2: a bigger number. Take two to the power of thirty 110 00:07:38,082 --> 00:07:40,322 Speaker 2: one and then subtract one. 111 00:07:41,002 --> 00:07:41,522 Speaker 3: You got it. 112 00:07:42,442 --> 00:07:46,122 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's our old friend. Two billion, one hundred forty 113 00:07:46,162 --> 00:07:49,842 Speaker 2: seven million, four hundred eighty three thousand, six hundred forty 114 00:07:49,842 --> 00:07:52,482 Speaker 2: seven that's a Marsenne prime. 115 00:07:52,682 --> 00:07:52,922 Speaker 4: Two. 116 00:07:53,882 --> 00:07:58,482 Speaker 2: Now here's the tricky part. That formula does not always 117 00:07:58,642 --> 00:08:01,762 Speaker 2: give us a prime number. Two to the power of 118 00:08:01,882 --> 00:08:06,602 Speaker 2: four minus one makes fifteen, which is not prime. Two 119 00:08:06,642 --> 00:08:10,122 Speaker 2: to the power of six minus one makes sixty three 120 00:08:11,322 --> 00:08:15,642 Speaker 2: not prime either. Turns out, the chances that this formula 121 00:08:15,802 --> 00:08:20,922 Speaker 2: will find a prime are low. Frankly, you have a 122 00:08:21,082 --> 00:08:24,682 Speaker 2: better chance finding a needle in a haystack or dB 123 00:08:24,842 --> 00:08:28,962 Speaker 2: Cooper than you do finding a Mersinne and a major 124 00:08:29,042 --> 00:08:32,722 Speaker 2: reason for this is and I cannot stress this enough, 125 00:08:33,282 --> 00:08:37,882 Speaker 2: because Mersenne primes can get comically huge. 126 00:08:38,362 --> 00:08:43,882 Speaker 4: Currently we're looking for Mersenne primes of around thirty million digits. 127 00:08:44,522 --> 00:08:48,202 Speaker 2: George didn't slip up there. Right now, he's looking for 128 00:08:48,282 --> 00:08:54,002 Speaker 2: a number that is thirty million digits long. For perspective, 129 00:08:54,482 --> 00:08:58,562 Speaker 2: that number is so big it would take me several 130 00:08:58,882 --> 00:09:02,362 Speaker 2: months just to read it out loud to you. But 131 00:09:02,522 --> 00:09:05,882 Speaker 2: right now, thousands of people are looking for that number, 132 00:09:06,322 --> 00:09:09,042 Speaker 2: and if some and finds it, they will win three 133 00:09:09,122 --> 00:09:12,962 Speaker 2: thousand bucks. But the fifty thousand dollars prize I've been 134 00:09:13,002 --> 00:09:14,002 Speaker 2: talking about. 135 00:09:14,442 --> 00:09:18,762 Speaker 4: That goes to anyone who finds a hundred million digit 136 00:09:18,882 --> 00:09:19,522 Speaker 4: prime number. 137 00:09:23,202 --> 00:09:26,242 Speaker 2: Now I get what you're thinking, Dana. I would love 138 00:09:26,322 --> 00:09:30,042 Speaker 2: to win fifty thousand dollars, but finding the Sasquatch of 139 00:09:30,122 --> 00:09:34,682 Speaker 2: prime numbers sounds a bit too mathy for me. But 140 00:09:34,802 --> 00:09:38,322 Speaker 2: that is where you're wrong, because here's the best part 141 00:09:38,402 --> 00:09:42,602 Speaker 2: about the hunt for Mersenne primes. You don't need to 142 00:09:42,642 --> 00:09:46,522 Speaker 2: be good at math, and that's because our friend George 143 00:09:47,082 --> 00:09:48,562 Speaker 2: has made it easy for us. 144 00:09:49,642 --> 00:09:53,122 Speaker 4: I wrote some software that can find these prime numbers 145 00:09:53,722 --> 00:09:56,242 Speaker 4: and put it on the Internet for anybody to download. 146 00:09:56,922 --> 00:10:01,082 Speaker 4: You need no mathematical backgrounds to run this software. 147 00:10:02,122 --> 00:10:05,322 Speaker 2: You can find the software George made online at a 148 00:10:05,362 --> 00:10:10,322 Speaker 2: website called the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search, better known 149 00:10:10,362 --> 00:10:14,242 Speaker 2: by its acronym gimps. 150 00:10:14,922 --> 00:10:21,682 Speaker 5: Yes, gimps, but founded gimps in nineteen ninety six, and 151 00:10:21,842 --> 00:10:25,522 Speaker 5: we found seventeen world record primes. 152 00:10:25,122 --> 00:10:26,122 Speaker 4: Over the years. 153 00:10:26,642 --> 00:10:31,482 Speaker 2: Over twenty seven years, Georgia's software has helped regular people 154 00:10:31,722 --> 00:10:37,002 Speaker 2: like you and me find insanely large Marsenne primes over 155 00:10:37,642 --> 00:10:42,442 Speaker 2: and over and over, which is a huge leap forward 156 00:10:42,602 --> 00:10:47,082 Speaker 2: when you consider the history of Marsennes. For centuries, the 157 00:10:47,122 --> 00:10:49,762 Speaker 2: only way to dig up a Mersenne was to sit 158 00:10:49,842 --> 00:10:53,482 Speaker 2: down with a quill and ink and divide by hand 159 00:10:54,042 --> 00:10:59,362 Speaker 2: potential numbers. Later, new and better algorithms with names like 160 00:10:59,442 --> 00:11:03,322 Speaker 2: the Lucas Lemur test were developed to help speed the 161 00:11:03,402 --> 00:11:08,202 Speaker 2: job along. Eventually it got too difficult for our three 162 00:11:08,282 --> 00:11:13,202 Speaker 2: pound brains to do the math. The last time somebody 163 00:11:13,322 --> 00:11:16,642 Speaker 2: dug up a Mersenne prime, mostly by hand, was back 164 00:11:16,722 --> 00:11:21,842 Speaker 2: in nineteen fourteen. Another Mersenne wouldn't be found for another 165 00:11:22,002 --> 00:11:29,402 Speaker 2: thirty eight years. When computers hit the scene in the 166 00:11:29,442 --> 00:11:33,842 Speaker 2: early nineteen fifties, computers were finding Mercenes left and right. 167 00:11:34,362 --> 00:11:38,802 Speaker 2: Five Marsennes were found in nineteen fifty two alone. Two 168 00:11:39,042 --> 00:11:43,642 Speaker 2: were found on the same day, but eventually even the 169 00:11:43,722 --> 00:11:48,762 Speaker 2: supercomputers got stumped. By the late nineties, the best way 170 00:11:48,802 --> 00:11:52,442 Speaker 2: to search for a Marsenne was to use a Kray 171 00:11:52,722 --> 00:11:57,922 Speaker 2: T ninety four, a supercomputer that ran so hot that 172 00:11:58,162 --> 00:12:02,242 Speaker 2: were it not for an internal coolant system, it would 173 00:12:02,282 --> 00:12:07,162 Speaker 2: literally melt itself. And that is when George would in. 174 00:12:07,602 --> 00:12:10,842 Speaker 4: I thought, if I made this software put it up 175 00:12:10,842 --> 00:12:13,522 Speaker 4: on the internet, maybe one hundred people would pick it 176 00:12:13,602 --> 00:12:15,802 Speaker 4: up and start using it. 177 00:12:16,522 --> 00:12:21,802 Speaker 2: George wanted to help regular people, people without access to supercomputers, 178 00:12:22,322 --> 00:12:26,482 Speaker 2: hunt for mersenes. He wrote software that could be used 179 00:12:26,522 --> 00:12:31,322 Speaker 2: on a personal computer and posted it to the gimps website. 180 00:12:31,762 --> 00:12:36,122 Speaker 2: It immediately surpassed all expectations, and. 181 00:12:36,402 --> 00:12:38,202 Speaker 4: By the end of the first year they were well 182 00:12:38,202 --> 00:12:39,002 Speaker 4: over one thousand. 183 00:12:39,442 --> 00:12:42,682 Speaker 2: More than two hundred thousand people have tried the gimps 184 00:12:42,842 --> 00:12:47,562 Speaker 2: software since, and you're invited. The software runs in the 185 00:12:47,602 --> 00:12:50,762 Speaker 2: background of your computer. All you have to do is 186 00:12:50,882 --> 00:12:56,442 Speaker 2: pick a potential number and wait and wait and wait 187 00:12:56,562 --> 00:12:56,962 Speaker 2: some more. 188 00:12:57,442 --> 00:13:00,442 Speaker 4: If you're looking for thirty million digit prime number, he 189 00:13:00,562 --> 00:13:03,522 Speaker 4: will take your computer about a week to test that number. 190 00:13:03,722 --> 00:13:06,362 Speaker 4: If you're going to go for the big money and 191 00:13:06,682 --> 00:13:10,402 Speaker 4: look for one of those hundred million digit guys, it's 192 00:13:10,482 --> 00:13:13,442 Speaker 4: gonna take probably one to two months. 193 00:13:14,242 --> 00:13:18,562 Speaker 2: Using the GIMPS software is like playing the world's longest 194 00:13:18,682 --> 00:13:22,722 Speaker 2: game of roulette. You pick a number, you spin the wheel, 195 00:13:23,282 --> 00:13:26,202 Speaker 2: and then you wait eternity to see if you've got 196 00:13:26,242 --> 00:13:29,562 Speaker 2: a winner, and chances are you won't. 197 00:13:32,322 --> 00:13:38,962 Speaker 4: I've gone through probably thirty thousand numbers at estimate, everyone 198 00:13:39,002 --> 00:13:39,522 Speaker 4: of failure. 199 00:13:42,122 --> 00:13:46,322 Speaker 2: That's right. George, the founder of gimbs, has tested more 200 00:13:46,362 --> 00:13:50,762 Speaker 2: than thirty thousand potential numbers, and he has never found 201 00:13:50,922 --> 00:13:55,402 Speaker 2: a Mersenne prime. And even though the odds are against him, 202 00:13:55,842 --> 00:14:00,162 Speaker 2: even though he's failed thirty thousand times, he's still looking, 203 00:14:00,762 --> 00:14:04,922 Speaker 2: and so are thousands of other people. And that's because 204 00:14:04,962 --> 00:14:10,482 Speaker 2: the chance of hitting it big turns some people into fanatics. 205 00:14:10,722 --> 00:14:13,402 Speaker 6: The number takes on a life all its own. It's 206 00:14:13,402 --> 00:14:16,602 Speaker 6: a life that you and your computer nourish with CPU cycles. 207 00:14:17,042 --> 00:14:19,922 Speaker 6: Even though only a tiny fraction of the test could 208 00:14:19,922 --> 00:14:23,042 Speaker 6: have possibly been performed. You check on it several times 209 00:14:23,082 --> 00:14:26,082 Speaker 6: a day, just in case something goes wrong. You get 210 00:14:26,082 --> 00:14:28,722 Speaker 6: to know it like a friend. The time invested on 211 00:14:28,802 --> 00:14:32,202 Speaker 6: each exponent is what makes gimps special. It teaches the 212 00:14:32,282 --> 00:14:36,402 Speaker 6: user patience and perseverance, and devotion and loyalty soon follow. 213 00:14:38,042 --> 00:14:42,362 Speaker 2: That's a line taken from the GIMP's website and Frankly, 214 00:14:42,602 --> 00:14:47,162 Speaker 2: the whole devotion and loyalty follow Shpiel sounds a little 215 00:14:47,202 --> 00:14:52,242 Speaker 2: bit well culty, and maybe it is. The people who 216 00:14:52,322 --> 00:14:55,562 Speaker 2: love gimps really really love it. 217 00:14:55,882 --> 00:15:00,602 Speaker 4: The typical per sen prime hunt. This probably won't be flattering, 218 00:15:00,642 --> 00:15:06,002 Speaker 4: but they're probably nerds or geeks. I proudly label myself 219 00:15:06,042 --> 00:15:08,882 Speaker 4: a geek runner, and so I don't view that as 220 00:15:09,002 --> 00:15:10,642 Speaker 4: a derogatory term. 221 00:15:11,202 --> 00:15:15,362 Speaker 2: These nerds and geeks can become addicted to this digital 222 00:15:15,482 --> 00:15:20,082 Speaker 2: treasure hunt, and some go to extreme lengths to find 223 00:15:20,122 --> 00:15:24,002 Speaker 2: a Marsinne. We wanted to get inside this world of 224 00:15:24,202 --> 00:15:28,762 Speaker 2: Marsinne obsessives, so we went on a hunt ourselves and 225 00:15:28,842 --> 00:15:29,882 Speaker 2: found this guy. 226 00:15:30,442 --> 00:15:34,322 Speaker 7: My name is Curtis Cooper, and I'm a retired professor 227 00:15:34,402 --> 00:15:38,042 Speaker 7: of math and computer science at the University of Central Missouri. 228 00:15:39,602 --> 00:15:43,482 Speaker 2: Chris Cooper taught at Missouri for thirty nine years, where 229 00:15:43,522 --> 00:15:48,682 Speaker 2: he lectured in calculus, number theory, and computer science. And 230 00:15:48,802 --> 00:15:51,962 Speaker 2: when we talked to him, he seemed like a regular 231 00:15:52,162 --> 00:15:52,922 Speaker 2: humble guy. 232 00:15:53,362 --> 00:15:55,842 Speaker 7: My wife would say, maybe you need a lie or something. 233 00:15:57,042 --> 00:16:02,522 Speaker 2: But the truth is Curtis is a gimps legend. He 234 00:16:02,642 --> 00:16:06,642 Speaker 2: is the nineteen twenty seven New York Yankees the nineties 235 00:16:07,362 --> 00:16:12,522 Speaker 2: the Pele of Marsenne hunting, because Curtis has found not one, 236 00:16:13,162 --> 00:16:14,322 Speaker 2: not two, not. 237 00:16:14,562 --> 00:16:17,962 Speaker 7: Three, but we found fourmer Sinn primes. 238 00:16:18,682 --> 00:16:24,642 Speaker 2: Four Mersenne primes, which, if I haven't already stressed this enough, 239 00:16:25,202 --> 00:16:30,522 Speaker 2: is insane. Curtis has found more Mersenne primes than anybody 240 00:16:30,602 --> 00:16:35,802 Speaker 2: in living history, and judging from our interview, it couldn't 241 00:16:35,802 --> 00:16:40,522 Speaker 2: happen to a better guy. Curtis's love for mersennees just 242 00:16:40,962 --> 00:16:42,282 Speaker 2: radiates from him. 243 00:16:42,682 --> 00:16:46,762 Speaker 7: I've always really enjoyed studying them because it seems something 244 00:16:46,802 --> 00:16:51,322 Speaker 7: that's so pure and so natural. From my perspective, those 245 00:16:51,362 --> 00:16:53,762 Speaker 7: are kind of jewels in number theory. 246 00:16:54,042 --> 00:16:58,882 Speaker 2: Curtis has been hunting these jewels, basically none stop for 247 00:16:58,922 --> 00:17:03,482 Speaker 2: more than twenty five years, and he's been throwing everything 248 00:17:03,642 --> 00:17:04,242 Speaker 2: at the wall. 249 00:17:04,842 --> 00:17:08,202 Speaker 7: When I initially got started in GIMS, I was using 250 00:17:08,562 --> 00:17:11,202 Speaker 7: three or four of my PCs at the time. 251 00:17:11,442 --> 00:17:15,882 Speaker 2: Curtis believed that four PCs was a little overboard. 252 00:17:16,202 --> 00:17:20,242 Speaker 7: I thought, wow, for is pretty good for trying to 253 00:17:20,282 --> 00:17:21,802 Speaker 7: look for prime numbers. 254 00:17:22,442 --> 00:17:25,082 Speaker 2: But remember it takes about a week to test a 255 00:17:25,202 --> 00:17:29,122 Speaker 2: number four PCs. We'll only test two hundred and eight 256 00:17:29,362 --> 00:17:33,442 Speaker 2: numbers a year. This wasn't good enough, so Curtis would 257 00:17:33,562 --> 00:17:37,722 Speaker 2: enlist more computers. He and a colleague began asking the 258 00:17:37,842 --> 00:17:41,282 Speaker 2: university for help. Could we use the PCs in the 259 00:17:41,322 --> 00:17:45,162 Speaker 2: computer lab? What about the library? Can I use the 260 00:17:45,202 --> 00:17:49,362 Speaker 2: machines in this building that building. By two thousand and five, 261 00:17:49,562 --> 00:17:53,682 Speaker 2: Curtis had a lot more than just four computers scavenging 262 00:17:53,762 --> 00:17:55,082 Speaker 2: for mare senes. 263 00:17:55,922 --> 00:17:58,562 Speaker 7: In our heyday when we had a lot more labs 264 00:17:58,602 --> 00:18:02,322 Speaker 7: on campus and stuff, probably between maybe seven hundred and 265 00:18:02,402 --> 00:18:03,882 Speaker 7: eight hundred computers. 266 00:18:04,202 --> 00:18:09,322 Speaker 2: Yeah, Curtis had about eight hundred couters looking for Mersenne primes. 267 00:18:10,082 --> 00:18:14,682 Speaker 2: And even with all that computer power, Curtis spent eight 268 00:18:14,882 --> 00:18:21,002 Speaker 2: years finding absolutely nothing. That is until December two thousand 269 00:18:21,042 --> 00:18:24,922 Speaker 2: and five. One of his computers was testing a number 270 00:18:25,322 --> 00:18:31,122 Speaker 2: with nine point one million digits. The gimps software chewed 271 00:18:31,122 --> 00:18:34,402 Speaker 2: on the number for about two or three weeks, but 272 00:18:34,482 --> 00:18:39,042 Speaker 2: when it finished calculations, it notified Curtis that it was 273 00:18:39,082 --> 00:18:40,362 Speaker 2: a Mersenne prime. 274 00:18:42,082 --> 00:18:46,242 Speaker 7: The feeling was almost like surreal, like is this really happening? 275 00:18:46,442 --> 00:18:48,522 Speaker 7: I was like a Christmas present in a way. 276 00:18:48,922 --> 00:18:52,922 Speaker 2: Curtis earned three thousand dollars, which was given to the university, 277 00:18:53,682 --> 00:18:57,602 Speaker 2: and then Curtis went back to work enlisting his army 278 00:18:57,682 --> 00:19:02,242 Speaker 2: of eight hundred sum computers to keep searching for mersennes. 279 00:19:03,282 --> 00:19:05,882 Speaker 2: Just a few months later, in two thousand and six, 280 00:19:06,322 --> 00:19:07,682 Speaker 2: he struck again. 281 00:19:08,002 --> 00:19:10,322 Speaker 7: And then we found a second, And then. 282 00:19:10,562 --> 00:19:13,242 Speaker 2: Seven years later in twenty. 283 00:19:12,882 --> 00:19:14,882 Speaker 7: Thirteen, we found the third. 284 00:19:15,482 --> 00:19:18,522 Speaker 2: And then in two thoy fifteen. 285 00:19:18,202 --> 00:19:19,362 Speaker 7: And we found the fourth. 286 00:19:21,162 --> 00:19:26,042 Speaker 2: The last number contained twenty two million digits. It was 287 00:19:26,202 --> 00:19:29,842 Speaker 2: triple the size of his first mersine, and the thrill 288 00:19:29,962 --> 00:19:33,642 Speaker 2: of finding it a fourth time was just as intense. 289 00:19:34,402 --> 00:19:37,562 Speaker 7: It was sort of the same exhilaration, almost like winning 290 00:19:37,602 --> 00:19:40,042 Speaker 7: the lottery of powerball or something. 291 00:19:42,442 --> 00:19:45,882 Speaker 2: Today, Curtis no longer holds the record for finding the 292 00:19:45,922 --> 00:19:51,282 Speaker 2: world's largest Mersenne prime. Since his discovery, two hunters have 293 00:19:51,442 --> 00:19:54,682 Speaker 2: upped him. The first was a guy named John Pace, 294 00:19:55,202 --> 00:19:58,842 Speaker 2: a church deacon in Tennessee who had installed the GIMPS 295 00:19:59,002 --> 00:20:05,042 Speaker 2: software on a church computer. Pace spent fourteen years looking 296 00:20:05,082 --> 00:20:08,522 Speaker 2: for a Mersinne before the church PC spit out a 297 00:20:08,682 --> 00:20:13,122 Speaker 2: Mersenne prime. That number was so big that when Pace 298 00:20:13,282 --> 00:20:18,602 Speaker 2: printed it in two point font on eleven x seventeen paper, 299 00:20:19,282 --> 00:20:23,282 Speaker 2: it took up sixty nine and a half sheets of paper. 300 00:20:23,882 --> 00:20:29,202 Speaker 2: The latest and largest Mersenne discovered was found in twenty eighteen, 301 00:20:29,642 --> 00:20:33,762 Speaker 2: when a Florida Man, You Go Florida Man named Patrick 302 00:20:33,882 --> 00:20:38,322 Speaker 2: Laroche found a prime so big that if I tried 303 00:20:38,482 --> 00:20:44,042 Speaker 2: reading out all twenty four million digits, this podcast episode 304 00:20:44,162 --> 00:20:49,762 Speaker 2: would quite literally become the longest podcast episode ever recorded. 305 00:20:50,442 --> 00:20:54,282 Speaker 2: So I'll just give you the shorthand. The world's largest 306 00:20:54,362 --> 00:20:58,922 Speaker 2: known Mersenne prime is two to the power of eighty 307 00:20:59,002 --> 00:21:05,002 Speaker 2: two million, five hundred eighty nine thousand, nine hundred eighty 308 00:21:05,082 --> 00:21:11,282 Speaker 2: three minus one. The crazy thing about that discovery it 309 00:21:11,402 --> 00:21:17,162 Speaker 2: happened on Laroche's fourth try. For comparison, George Waltman has 310 00:21:17,242 --> 00:21:23,042 Speaker 2: tested thirty thousand numbers and has found zilch. Curtis Cooper 311 00:21:23,122 --> 00:21:27,922 Speaker 2: told us he finishes testing forty numbers every day, which 312 00:21:27,962 --> 00:21:32,762 Speaker 2: goes to show this is anybody's game. A complete newcomer 313 00:21:32,842 --> 00:21:37,442 Speaker 2: can swoop in and find the next prime, and eventually 314 00:21:38,002 --> 00:21:43,402 Speaker 2: someone will find the one hundred million digit Mersenne four 315 00:21:43,522 --> 00:21:48,002 Speaker 2: fifty thousand dollars. But while prize money is always nice, 316 00:21:48,642 --> 00:21:59,522 Speaker 2: there's more to all this than money. Big numbers have 317 00:21:59,642 --> 00:22:04,842 Speaker 2: an undeniable allure. Back in two thousand and seven, Jeremy 318 00:22:04,842 --> 00:22:08,882 Speaker 2: Harper of Alabama caught the world's attention when he set 319 00:22:08,922 --> 00:22:14,282 Speaker 2: a record by counting from one to one million out loud. 320 00:22:15,282 --> 00:22:19,122 Speaker 2: Thousands of people watched as he live streamed the count 321 00:22:19,242 --> 00:22:23,322 Speaker 2: over the internet twenty four to seven. It took him 322 00:22:23,442 --> 00:22:29,042 Speaker 2: eighty nine days. Meanwhile, YouTubers like Matt Parker of number 323 00:22:29,082 --> 00:22:33,682 Speaker 2: file have posted unboxing videos of them opening up printed 324 00:22:33,802 --> 00:22:43,002 Speaker 2: versions of the latest Mersenne Prime. Big numbers are just exciting. 325 00:22:43,722 --> 00:22:47,122 Speaker 2: Think back to the schoolyard playground. Who among us in 326 00:22:47,242 --> 00:22:50,682 Speaker 2: a quest to one up our friends hasn't gone from 327 00:22:50,722 --> 00:22:54,162 Speaker 2: the double dog Dare to the triple dog Dare to 328 00:22:54,242 --> 00:22:59,642 Speaker 2: the triple dog Dare. Time's infinity. Immense numbers were our 329 00:22:59,762 --> 00:23:03,722 Speaker 2: way of winning the day. Frankly, the only people more 330 00:23:03,802 --> 00:23:08,762 Speaker 2: obsessed with huge numbers than little kids are well mathematicians. 331 00:23:10,482 --> 00:23:15,042 Speaker 2: A few decades ago, a mathematician named Ronald Graham came 332 00:23:15,122 --> 00:23:18,722 Speaker 2: up with a number so big that were it written down, 333 00:23:19,282 --> 00:23:23,762 Speaker 2: the observable universe could not contain it. And then, in 334 00:23:23,802 --> 00:23:28,242 Speaker 2: two thousand and seven, MIT hosted a big Number duel 335 00:23:28,642 --> 00:23:33,362 Speaker 2: to find an even larger number. The Mexican philosophy professor 336 00:23:33,442 --> 00:23:39,482 Speaker 2: Augustin Reo eventually found a number so big that, by definition, 337 00:23:40,002 --> 00:23:44,842 Speaker 2: it cannot be expressed through language. All of This might 338 00:23:44,922 --> 00:23:48,562 Speaker 2: have you wondering, what's the point. There's got to be 339 00:23:48,762 --> 00:23:54,682 Speaker 2: some practical application to finding huge numbers like Mersenne primes, right. 340 00:23:55,362 --> 00:23:57,442 Speaker 7: I almost hate to say this. I don't know of 341 00:23:57,522 --> 00:24:01,682 Speaker 7: any application that this great big number. I don't know 342 00:24:01,722 --> 00:24:03,482 Speaker 7: how we could use that. 343 00:24:03,482 --> 00:24:08,042 Speaker 2: That again, is Curtis Cooper, and as he explained, most 344 00:24:08,282 --> 00:24:13,242 Speaker 2: Mersenne primes are so big that they are basically useless. 345 00:24:13,762 --> 00:24:18,242 Speaker 2: But that's not to say they're completely useless. One Mersenne 346 00:24:18,442 --> 00:24:22,722 Speaker 2: four billion, two hundred ninety four million, nine hundred sixty 347 00:24:22,722 --> 00:24:27,922 Speaker 2: seven thousand, two hundred ninety five is the largest memory 348 00:24:28,002 --> 00:24:32,642 Speaker 2: address for CPUs with a thirty two bit address bus. 349 00:24:33,482 --> 00:24:37,562 Speaker 2: That might sound like a bunch of computer gobbledegook, and I, 350 00:24:37,882 --> 00:24:40,562 Speaker 2: to be quite honest, have no idea what it means, 351 00:24:40,922 --> 00:24:44,682 Speaker 2: but just know that this has practical consequences for a 352 00:24:44,762 --> 00:24:48,962 Speaker 2: lot of computer systems. In fact, in two thousand and 353 00:24:49,002 --> 00:24:53,762 Speaker 2: four that Mersenne was used to control the timers on 354 00:24:53,962 --> 00:24:59,522 Speaker 2: all radio air traffic around Los Angeles. When the timers 355 00:24:59,642 --> 00:25:03,362 Speaker 2: hit that number, it caused air traffic control to lose 356 00:25:03,442 --> 00:25:09,522 Speaker 2: contact with more than eight hundred aircrafts. Or consider oilers mersin, 357 00:25:09,682 --> 00:25:12,122 Speaker 2: which we talked about at the top of the episode. 358 00:25:12,562 --> 00:25:15,442 Speaker 2: That number is the highest score you can get on 359 00:25:15,642 --> 00:25:20,002 Speaker 2: most video games. In Grand Theft Auto, it's the maximum 360 00:25:20,042 --> 00:25:25,322 Speaker 2: amount of cash you can hold. These small mersins are 361 00:25:25,402 --> 00:25:29,042 Speaker 2: everywhere we go. They're used by Apple to encrypt and 362 00:25:29,122 --> 00:25:33,922 Speaker 2: decrypt messages. They're used to encrypt sales over the Internet too. 363 00:25:34,602 --> 00:25:38,962 Speaker 2: But the really big mersins are too big for their 364 00:25:39,002 --> 00:25:39,602 Speaker 2: own good. 365 00:25:41,282 --> 00:25:43,722 Speaker 4: The uses are rather few and far between. 366 00:25:44,482 --> 00:25:46,442 Speaker 2: That again, is George Waltman. 367 00:25:47,122 --> 00:25:51,202 Speaker 4: Maybe when quantum computing comes along in fifty years, maybe 368 00:25:51,202 --> 00:25:54,842 Speaker 4: we will need a twenty five million digit key, but 369 00:25:55,402 --> 00:25:57,562 Speaker 4: today there's no need for it. 370 00:25:58,402 --> 00:26:03,362 Speaker 2: So big mersens are pretty much useless. But there is 371 00:26:03,722 --> 00:26:09,522 Speaker 2: use to searching for mersins. Testing Amersen is not easy 372 00:26:09,562 --> 00:26:13,802 Speaker 2: for your computer. It takes a lot of computing power 373 00:26:14,882 --> 00:26:18,722 Speaker 2: and as a result, it's a great stress test for 374 00:26:18,842 --> 00:26:23,082 Speaker 2: a processor, and so some companies use gimps to test 375 00:26:23,282 --> 00:26:26,602 Speaker 2: their computer chips before shipping them out to market. 376 00:26:27,002 --> 00:26:30,362 Speaker 4: One weird benefit of the search for Mersen primes is 377 00:26:31,042 --> 00:26:35,322 Speaker 4: it actually is so hard on a CPU that Intel 378 00:26:35,482 --> 00:26:38,402 Speaker 4: was using it to find flaws in their chips, and 379 00:26:38,962 --> 00:26:41,922 Speaker 4: over the last twenty five years, two or three times 380 00:26:41,962 --> 00:26:45,882 Speaker 4: we found flaws in their CPUs. Just five years ago, 381 00:26:45,922 --> 00:26:50,002 Speaker 4: AMD found a flaw in their CPU based upon running 382 00:26:50,002 --> 00:26:53,522 Speaker 4: this software that's so brutally hard on the floating point 383 00:26:53,602 --> 00:26:54,362 Speaker 4: unit in the chip. 384 00:26:55,122 --> 00:26:58,682 Speaker 2: These sorts of stress tests can have a huge impact. 385 00:26:59,322 --> 00:27:02,722 Speaker 2: In nineteen ninety four, a mouth professor looking for prime 386 00:27:02,842 --> 00:27:07,282 Speaker 2: numbers stumbled upon a bug in Intel Pentium chips that 387 00:27:07,402 --> 00:27:12,322 Speaker 2: later cost the company four hundred and seventy five million dollars. 388 00:27:13,522 --> 00:27:19,962 Speaker 2: So the Marsenne hunt isn't completely useless, but usefulness. It's 389 00:27:20,002 --> 00:27:22,762 Speaker 2: not the reason people hunt for them. 390 00:27:23,722 --> 00:27:28,722 Speaker 4: Chris Caldwell, who brand the largest prime number website, compared 391 00:27:28,762 --> 00:27:32,442 Speaker 4: it to the Hope diamond. It sits in a museum. 392 00:27:32,882 --> 00:27:36,802 Speaker 4: It has no use. It's just there to sit there 393 00:27:36,842 --> 00:27:40,922 Speaker 4: and look pretty and for you to admire. A Mersinn 394 00:27:40,922 --> 00:27:43,602 Speaker 4: prime is kind of like that. It's the largest of 395 00:27:43,642 --> 00:27:47,002 Speaker 4: its kind. It sits there and looks pretty and you 396 00:27:47,042 --> 00:27:50,322 Speaker 4: can marvel at it, and that's that's about all it's 397 00:27:50,362 --> 00:27:50,722 Speaker 4: good for. 398 00:27:51,442 --> 00:27:55,002 Speaker 2: And a lot of people are content with that because 399 00:27:55,042 --> 00:27:59,922 Speaker 2: people like Curtis and George, they aren't looking for Mersenne 400 00:27:59,922 --> 00:28:04,282 Speaker 2: primes because they want to change the world. Their motivation 401 00:28:04,642 --> 00:28:05,642 Speaker 2: is simpler. 402 00:28:06,082 --> 00:28:08,402 Speaker 4: Yeah, you could be in a for the prize money. 403 00:28:08,442 --> 00:28:10,122 Speaker 4: You could be at it for the glory of finding 404 00:28:10,202 --> 00:28:14,162 Speaker 4: a numerous in prime, or you could be at it 405 00:28:14,242 --> 00:28:18,042 Speaker 4: for advancing mathematical knowledge a little bit. 406 00:28:18,602 --> 00:28:22,762 Speaker 2: Chris Caldwell, a math professor at University of Tennessee Martin, 407 00:28:23,082 --> 00:28:27,602 Speaker 2: has compared the hunt to competitive sports. It's the thrill 408 00:28:27,722 --> 00:28:29,762 Speaker 2: of competition, He says. 409 00:28:29,922 --> 00:28:32,602 Speaker 3: Why do athletes try to run faster than anyone else, 410 00:28:32,762 --> 00:28:36,842 Speaker 3: jump higher, throw a javelin? Further? Is it because they 411 00:28:36,962 --> 00:28:39,882 Speaker 3: use the skills of javelin throwing in their jobs? 412 00:28:40,722 --> 00:28:45,402 Speaker 4: Not likely. I've kind of always equated it to people 413 00:28:45,402 --> 00:28:49,202 Speaker 4: who climb mountains and their ultimate goal is to climb 414 00:28:49,202 --> 00:28:54,402 Speaker 4: Mount evereston no practical value in it, personal accomplishment in it. 415 00:28:55,362 --> 00:28:59,402 Speaker 2: When we asked Curtis why he hunts fourmer sens, he 416 00:28:59,482 --> 00:29:04,922 Speaker 2: made the same exact comparison. They were his Everest. You 417 00:29:04,962 --> 00:29:08,322 Speaker 2: don't make the climb for money. You do it because 418 00:29:08,362 --> 00:29:13,002 Speaker 2: you feel called to climb, because the climb in itself 419 00:29:13,602 --> 00:29:14,642 Speaker 2: is beautiful. 420 00:29:15,082 --> 00:29:17,602 Speaker 7: I think a lot of that is beautiful. Maybe I'm 421 00:29:17,642 --> 00:29:20,842 Speaker 7: too much of a geek on the digits of the number, 422 00:29:21,122 --> 00:29:23,642 Speaker 7: but the four that we found I kind of tell 423 00:29:23,722 --> 00:29:26,002 Speaker 7: my wife, I said, I'll never forget. You know, the 424 00:29:26,042 --> 00:29:29,162 Speaker 7: exponents that are there and well, if I think I'll 425 00:29:29,162 --> 00:29:33,242 Speaker 7: go to my deathbed knowing the four that we found. 426 00:29:38,162 --> 00:29:40,602 Speaker 2: Saren, I have to say, just finding out that you 427 00:29:40,642 --> 00:29:43,282 Speaker 2: were a Merson Prime guy, how did you get into it? 428 00:29:43,842 --> 00:29:44,282 Speaker 3: Okay? 429 00:29:44,362 --> 00:29:47,402 Speaker 1: So I actually like their uh, just like their twin 430 00:29:47,482 --> 00:29:50,202 Speaker 1: sister twin brother, which is called perfect numbers. Every mers 431 00:29:50,282 --> 00:29:52,322 Speaker 1: in prime has a perfect number, and every perfect number 432 00:29:52,362 --> 00:29:55,122 Speaker 1: has immersed in prime. So I love perfect numbers. An 433 00:29:55,122 --> 00:29:58,242 Speaker 1: example is twenty eight, and a perfect number is the 434 00:29:58,282 --> 00:30:01,762 Speaker 1: sum of its divisor. So you have one, two, four, seven, 435 00:30:02,042 --> 00:30:04,642 Speaker 1: and fourteen, right, and those you had those up together 436 00:30:04,762 --> 00:30:07,402 Speaker 1: twenty eight And that's totally honest. 437 00:30:07,562 --> 00:30:10,602 Speaker 2: I just sort of went somewhere else. 438 00:30:10,682 --> 00:30:12,962 Speaker 1: Anytime my fiance I talked to her about math, and 439 00:30:13,002 --> 00:30:15,162 Speaker 1: I can just watch your eyes like the curtain lowers. 440 00:30:15,202 --> 00:30:17,842 Speaker 1: It's just amazing. But basically the point is is that 441 00:30:18,282 --> 00:30:20,362 Speaker 1: the thing about math that I loved and was drawn 442 00:30:20,402 --> 00:30:24,242 Speaker 1: to is it's like if art could be entirely in 443 00:30:24,282 --> 00:30:27,002 Speaker 1: your imagination or in your mind. Right, you can appreciate 444 00:30:27,042 --> 00:30:29,562 Speaker 1: the contours, the lines, the symmetry, and you don't actually 445 00:30:29,562 --> 00:30:31,042 Speaker 1: have to have a physical thing, and then you can 446 00:30:31,082 --> 00:30:33,162 Speaker 1: talk to another person about that. They look at a 447 00:30:33,162 --> 00:30:35,082 Speaker 1: couple symbols and then all of a sudden, that same 448 00:30:35,402 --> 00:30:37,762 Speaker 1: symmetry and beauty appears in their mind. That's what I 449 00:30:37,802 --> 00:30:40,202 Speaker 1: love about math. It's like music, but it's. 450 00:30:40,202 --> 00:30:41,682 Speaker 2: Numbers that's so beautiful. 451 00:30:41,962 --> 00:30:44,082 Speaker 3: Saren, is your computer running at all hours? 452 00:30:44,242 --> 00:30:47,682 Speaker 1: It's currently looking for two different number. Actually, actually right now, 453 00:30:47,682 --> 00:30:49,882 Speaker 1: it's confirming the work of others because I don't have 454 00:30:49,922 --> 00:30:52,202 Speaker 1: a number i'm searching for. I'm actually calculating a new 455 00:30:52,202 --> 00:30:54,922 Speaker 1: one to look for, and it is currently doing the 456 00:30:54,922 --> 00:30:57,562 Speaker 1: work that gims wants, which is helping others. I'm just 457 00:30:57,642 --> 00:31:00,202 Speaker 1: letting my computers check somebody else's work and being like, 458 00:31:00,242 --> 00:31:02,002 Speaker 1: come on, buddy, I hope you get it. It's a 459 00:31:02,002 --> 00:31:02,642 Speaker 1: team effort. 460 00:31:02,882 --> 00:31:04,962 Speaker 3: Have you ever met anyone who's found one. 461 00:31:05,282 --> 00:31:07,082 Speaker 1: No, they're so rare. There's fifty one of them, and 462 00:31:07,202 --> 00:31:09,362 Speaker 1: most recent ones have been found by a couple of guys, 463 00:31:09,442 --> 00:31:11,482 Speaker 1: and uh, I've never had the joy of meeting like 464 00:31:11,562 --> 00:31:14,322 Speaker 1: Curtis Cooper, but I see their names on the gimp 465 00:31:14,402 --> 00:31:16,882 Speaker 1: site all the time because they are checking so many numbers. 466 00:31:16,922 --> 00:31:18,562 Speaker 1: I saw his name was like, I know him, but 467 00:31:18,642 --> 00:31:21,642 Speaker 1: I do not know him. By the way, who was 468 00:31:21,682 --> 00:31:24,962 Speaker 1: your guys' favorite character? A special episode character for this one, 469 00:31:25,242 --> 00:31:25,482 Speaker 1: you know. 470 00:31:25,442 --> 00:31:27,442 Speaker 2: It's Mersenne, he gets the name shot. 471 00:31:27,522 --> 00:31:28,802 Speaker 4: Yeah, he's the MVP. 472 00:31:30,162 --> 00:31:33,162 Speaker 1: Do you guys cast this one? Danage, you cast Jason? 473 00:31:33,402 --> 00:31:34,602 Speaker 2: Can you cast this one? 474 00:31:35,042 --> 00:31:35,242 Speaker 4: You know? 475 00:31:35,962 --> 00:31:40,042 Speaker 2: Watson from IBM and also Deep Blue from IBM. The 476 00:31:40,122 --> 00:31:44,202 Speaker 2: two so the Jeopardy supercomputer and the Chess supercomputer. They 477 00:31:44,202 --> 00:31:45,602 Speaker 2: are the stars of this episode. 478 00:31:45,642 --> 00:31:46,042 Speaker 3: I like that. 479 00:31:46,642 --> 00:31:49,362 Speaker 1: I thought about Marin Mersen. He could be played by 480 00:31:49,442 --> 00:31:51,482 Speaker 1: Edward Norton if you made the movie. Just to pull 481 00:31:51,562 --> 00:31:54,002 Speaker 1: from your board, I mean, I thought he got He's 482 00:31:54,002 --> 00:31:56,562 Speaker 1: got the monks vibe. You can totally feel him out there, 483 00:31:56,602 --> 00:31:59,642 Speaker 1: like in the Abbey by himself. Leonard Euler. I was 484 00:31:59,642 --> 00:32:03,322 Speaker 1: thinking Giovanni Ribisi because if you've seen a picture, the 485 00:32:03,362 --> 00:32:06,922 Speaker 1: famous image of Oiler, it looks just like Giovanni Ribisi, right, 486 00:32:07,322 --> 00:32:09,442 Speaker 1: George Woltman, this is a little bit out there. But 487 00:32:09,522 --> 00:32:13,162 Speaker 1: Francis Ford Coppola, he's a kind heart chasing after greatness. 488 00:32:13,202 --> 00:32:16,122 Speaker 1: He gets it. And then Curtis Cooper, because I got 489 00:32:16,122 --> 00:32:17,802 Speaker 1: to give a shout out to my man, Cartis Cooper, 490 00:32:18,162 --> 00:32:23,482 Speaker 1: Mark Ruffalo, the cozy, rumpled yet ambitious nerd. And finally 491 00:32:23,802 --> 00:32:26,562 Speaker 1: the next person to find immerc in Prime me so 492 00:32:26,642 --> 00:32:28,842 Speaker 1: there you go. That's all my casting. 493 00:32:31,642 --> 00:32:34,562 Speaker 3: Very Special Episodes is made by some very special people. 494 00:32:35,402 --> 00:32:38,802 Speaker 3: This show is hosted by Danish Schwartz, Zaren Burnett and 495 00:32:38,882 --> 00:32:42,842 Speaker 3: me Jason English. Today's episode was written by Lucas Riley. 496 00:32:43,442 --> 00:32:47,202 Speaker 3: Our producer is Josh Fisher. Editing and sound design by 497 00:32:47,202 --> 00:32:52,642 Speaker 3: Emily maronof mixing and mastering by Behid Fraser. Original music 498 00:32:52,722 --> 00:32:56,802 Speaker 3: by Elise McCoy. Research and fact checking by Austin Thompson 499 00:32:57,002 --> 00:33:01,482 Speaker 3: and Lucas Riley. Show logo by Lucy Quintinia. Special thanks 500 00:33:01,522 --> 00:33:05,562 Speaker 3: to Carl Catle for some excellent voice acting. I'm your 501 00:33:05,602 --> 00:33:08,522 Speaker 3: executive producer and we'll see you back here next Wednesday. 502 00:33:09,282 --> 00:33:17,962 Speaker 3: Very Special Episodes is a production of iHeart Podcasts.