[Alan McDougall (OP)]

Why are prime numbers so important?

The fact that a person can shop safely on the internet is thanks to the use of prime numbers in the encryption of internet commerce with keys capable of protecting your sensitive private information from hackers.

And yet, despite their fundamental importance to our everyday lives, primes remain an enigma. An apparent pattern within them."The Riemann hypothesis", has baffled some of the brightest minds in mathematics for centuries. As of yet, no one has been able to tame the mystery of prime numbers.

If that did happen hackers might find a means to destroy the internet

Scary stuff

Alan.

[Villi]

Apparently prime numbers are big money now, I read somewhere. Companies are paying a lot for new primes.