[dayglored]

Primes are of course crucial to modern encryption and many aspects of cyber-security, so they have very important practical purposes and applications.

But as one who also has a lifelong interest in "pure" mathematics, it's nice to know that there are still folks pursuing primes for their own sake (or to win a competition or prize). I mean, somebody's gotta do it, right? :-)

[Red Badger]

I would bet that the next prime number will be a prime number distant from this one, +/-1.............