A basic feature of number theory, prime numbers are also a fundamental building block of computer science, from hashtables to cryptography.

Prime numbers are a central topic of study in math. Despite being an object of fascination for millennia, there are still a lot of unsolved problems involving primes. Prime numbers are one of the ...

The online computer game “Is this prime?” tests a player’s knowledge of prime numbers—and just surpassed 2,999,999 attempts. Give it a whirl.

Prime numbers are absolutely essential to modern computer security -- and, possibly, to communicating with alien life forms. Here's how they work.

Prime numbers are the biggest and oldest data set in mathematics. Why have they captivated mathematicians for millennia?

The ongoing search for ever-larger prime numbers continues apace. Primes are the atoms of arithmetic: every whole number is a unique product of primes. For example, 21 is the product of primes ...