From: johnbcos@iol.ie (John B. Cosgrave) Subject: Re: Big prime Date: 28 Nov 99 15:34:04 GMT Newsgroups: sci.math.numberthy Keywords: construction of a "millennium prime" Dear colleagues, I saw this note ---------- > From: Angel del Rio Mateos > To: NMBRTHRY@LISTSERV.NODAK.EDU > Subject: Big prime > Date: 24 November 1999 13:39 > Hi, > A colleague told me today about the discovery of a new algorithm to > construct prime numbers. He heard that on the radio, so the source of > information is not very reliable. I would like to have more information, some days ago and wondered what it might be about; I think I know, but it is not to do with a new algorithm. On January 7th this year I sent a light-hearted note to the NT mailing list, informing of a (beautifully constructed) 2000-digit prime I had just found using Pocklington's theorem. I dubbed it a (not 'The'!) 'millennium' prime, and the following day I sent a long explanatory email to a young niece and nephew of mine, telling them all about it in simple language. The NT note of January 7th. is archived at http://listserv.nodak.edu/scripts/wa.exe?A2=ind9901&L=nmbrthry&F=&S=&P=54, and there was also a mention in Ivars Peterson's MathTrek column in Science News the following week. IP's note is at http://www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc99/1_16_99/mathland.htm In July of this year I was the fortunate discoverer (as a participant in Yves Gallot's wonderful Proth Prime Search) of the largest known composite Fermat number. That resulted in a lot of mail, amongst which was one from someone - Tim Robinson, a Cambridge mathematics graduate - whose books and maps are well known. Out of that purely chance encounter emerged a booklet - A Prime For The Millennium (an explanatory email to my niece and nephew), my royalties for which I am donating to the Irish Cancer Society - which has just been published. I have created a special slot: http://www.spd.dcu.ie/johnbcos/millenni.htm at my web site about the booklet, with links to related Pocklington work. Last Monday, 22nd November, the Guardian - a leading UK newspaper - had a big quarter-page spread about the booklet, including a big picture of all 2000 digits of the prime, which is the cover of the booklet (this must be the first time a book cover is entirely taken up with a prime number?) I was contacted almost immediately by the BBC, who asked me for a radio interview, an edited version of which was broadcast later that day. I didn't get to hear the interview, but I certainly made no mention of a new algorithm... Unfortunately, as I subsequently heard from some friends from my undergraduate days in London who did hear the interview, no mention was made of the booklet, and so... The Guardian article - which gave my web site address, and Tim Robinson's contact details for obtaining the booklet - resulted in a huge mail for me, of which I mention just two: 1. I heard from a music composer who told me he composed for brass bands. He is going to create a work based on all 2000 digits of the prime (will it make it on the MTV?)... Let us all pray for his poor neighbours... 2. A painter phoned to ask about the "colour" of my prime... How did I see it ...? Anyway, he's going to do a painting based on the 2000 digits. For any of you who can receive BBC Radio Scotland, I have been asked to do a live interview at some time between 6.15 and 7.00 P.M. on the 'Brian Morton Show' next Thursday 2nd. December. At my suggestion they are using the fee they offered me to but three copies of the booklet, and have them as a prize for the first three postcards - sent in by children - drawn from a hat. In all of this I am terribly conscious that I am only a very, very ordinary number theorist (perhaps the least talented of all of you reading this), and it is embarrassing to see *some* of the sort of thing that gets into newspapers over which one has no control. E.g. this week - in a well intentioned note in an Irish newspaper (picking up on the Guardian story) - it is mentioned that my millennium prime has been "hailed as an international mathematical triumph." I cannot tell you how mortified I was to read that, because reading it I thought "I hope no one reading that will think that I said that..." A very real problem for you and I - lovers of number theory - is to what extent do we wish to share - or should we share - what we do with others. Should we make an effort or not? I have always felt that we should, but the danger is that one can end up being misquoted, or worse - and this has happened to me - being quoted as having said things we never said at all... In extremis - and this has happened to me this past week - I received a shockingly abusive email from someone ... . Finally, a very happy new year to you all. John Cosgrave P.S. If you are reading this Mr. Spielberg, then I'm sorry I haven't yet returned your call. I like your idea about the movie, but am not keen to have my part played by Harrison Ford. How about Robert Redford? Also may I suggest my favourite French actress Nathalie Baye for the other part you mentioned? I suggest - if he is agreeable - that Victor Miller (our kind and patient NT mailing list moderator) be played by Victor Miller himself. And can all the subscribers to the NT mailing list be give parts as well? # My royalties from my booklet *A Prime For The Millennium* # (an explanatory email to my niece Jo and nephew Ben) are # being donated to the Irish Cancer Society. See Folding Landscapes' # web site at http://www.iol.ie/~tandmfl/mprime.htm. Booklet review at # http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/computimes/1999/1108/compu5.htm # # John B. Cosgrave, Mathematics Department, # St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin 9, IRELAND. # # Home e-mail: johnbcos@iol.ie # College e-mail: John.Cosgrave@spd.ie # My College Web site: http://www.spd.dcu.ie/johnbcos # My College office phone (voice mail): + 353-(0)1- 8842133