A basic feature of number theory, prime numbers are also a fundamental building block of computer science, from hashtables to cryptography. Everyone knows that a prime number is one that cannot be ...

Prime numbers, the "atoms of arithmetic," have captivated mathematicians for centuries. These numbers, divisible only by themselves and one, appear deceptively random yet hide intricate patterns.

NPR asked the typographers at Hoefler & Frere-Jones to estimate how long this Mersenne prime would be if typed out -- all 12,987,189 digits. The answer, it turns out, depends not only on the font but ...