Search for Primes @ home

The SETI@home programme harnessed the idle computing power of millions of home users to aid the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. Now, PrimeGrid is doing the same for the search for large prime numbers.

Prime numbers are a major area of interest in number theory. There are various subareas---the study of prime numbers having certain specific properties of interest---and corresponding search efforts in these subareas; many of these work in collaboration with PrimeGrid, which is the overall effort.

There are differences between PrimeGrid and SETI: whereas SETI takes data from the Arecibo radio telescope and distributes it among its network of home computers, PrimeGrid need only tell each computer which numbers to check---it only coordinates, whereas SETI has to supply the data in the first place. But the two programmes are essentially similar in nature: large amounts of data are distributed to be checked thoroughly for faint signals within.

What can it mean when we employ essentially similar methods to search for primes as we do to search for aliens? I say it shows that our knowledge of both is at a similar stage. We can recognise one when we encounter one, and can search for them systematically, but we have no idea where to find them until we actually find them. Are certain conditions necessary for the existence of life? We have yet to find out, and until then we can only poke haphazardly around the Universe hoping to find extra-terrestrial life. Is there a structure to the location of primes among the natural numbers? We have yet to discover it, and until then we can only check the natural numbers individually to find the primes.

'But why?'

Actually, that was a Very Good Question. Because I don't really know. Of course there are replies that come to mind, but the dim hesitation that you sometimes feel towards them are a sure sign that they are more excuses than reasons. They may not be very flimsy, indeed some of them are probably pretty convincing, but at heart you don't really believe in them---they aren't your real motivation. I don't think you'll ever fathom that. So the recent turn of events is by no means a definitive answer, but only another chapter in the long, convoluted narrative that is your tussle with the concept of identity ...