Talks to Watch

Graham's Number - Numberphile

3.1M views · Apr 4, 2012 · 9:16 · 4 HN recommenders · 6 mentions · discussed 2013–2024

Numberphile's Tony Padilla and Matt Parker discuss Graham's number, once the largest number used in a mathematical proof, and how enormous it is.

Why Hacker News points people here: Recommended as the mind-melting intro to unimaginably large numbers.

“It's a pretty interesting video for seeing how quickly the numbers get unimaginably massive.”HN comment, 2019

What Hacker News said 6

Strongly recommendsprezjordanFeb 2015

“My brain melts every time I watch this video [1] from Numberphile on Graham's number.”

Mind-melting Numberphile video on Graham's number.

Full comment

My brain melts every time I watch this video [1] from Numberphile on Graham's number. They also had another video [2] with Ron Graham himself :) [1]: this video [2]: link

Strongly recommendsjiggawattsMay 2024

“If math can make you feel awe, you've got to watch the Numberphile series on very big numbers.”

Numberphile series on huge numbers used in proofs, mind-bending.

Full comment

If math can make you feel awe, you've got to watch the Numberphile series on very big numbers. They're constants used in proofs that are specific, well-defined integers known to be finite, but so huge that the physical universe does not have enough particles (or even Plank-scale microstates) in it to represent the number of digits these numbers have! Absolutely mind-bending stuff. Listed in increasing order: "Graham's Number" this video "How Big is Graham's Number? (feat Ron Graham)" link "The Enormous TREE(3)" link "TREE(3) (extra footage)" link "The Daddy of Big Numbers (Rayo's Number)" link

in “A Trial HIV Vaccine Triggered Elusive and Essential Antibodies in Humans” · view on HN
RecommendsRonsenshiFeb 2015

“Numberphile [1] too has a great explanation”

Numberphile gives a great explanation of Graham's number.

Full comment

I love this video link by Sean Day[9] Plott describing Graham's number very well. At least I found that description very easy to follow. Numberphile [1] too has a great explanation, but I still strongly recommend watching Day[9] video because it tells a little bit of history and Sean is very expressive and good speaker so he easily engages viewer. [1] this video

RecommendsjohnsonjoMay 2019

“It's a pretty interesting video for seeing how quickly the numbers get unimaginably massive.”

Shows how quickly numbers become unimaginably massive.

Full comment

I've seen this notation in a video [1] on Graham's number [2] by Numberphile. It's a pretty interesting video for seeing how quickly the numbers get unimaginably massive. [1]: this video [2]: link

Cites itColinDabritzJul 2013

“Graham's number - for a while, the largest number used in a proof”

Explains Graham's number as largest number used in a proof.

Full comment

Graham's number - for a while, the largest number used in a proof: this video There are faster growing sequences as well, see: link both fun as well. But busy beaver consumes them all.

in “Indescribable numbers: The theorem that made me fall in love with math” · view on HN
Cites itBalgairNov 2017
Full comment

10E65 if protons do decay. 10E(10E76) if protons do not decay and virtual black-holes do not exist. At about 10E(10E(10E56)) the universe should spontaneously create a new universe, so that that is the most upper limit of time in our universe. Fairly small actually, compared to things like Graham's number and Tree(3). Turns out, infinity is really big. link this video

in “Ray Kurzweil thinks we could start living forever by 2029” · view on HN