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42 *IS* The answer to Life, the Universe and Zeta

Venusian Treen writes "In their search for patterns, mathematicians have uncovered unlikely connections between prime numbers and quantum physics. The gist is that energy levels in the nucleus of heavy atoms can tell us about the distribution of zeros in Riemann's zeta function - and hence where to find prime numbers. This article discusses this connection, and introduces two physisicts who tell us 'why the answer to life, the universe and the third moment of the Riemann zeta function should be 42.'"

5 of 316 comments (clear)

  1. please shut up with this *42* crap by boxlight · · Score: 0, Troll

    All my years in high school, university, and as a computer programmer I've been hearing nerds shouting back with "42" whenever the opportunity presents itself.

    "Can I ask you a question?" "42!" <snicker-snicker>

    Sigh. How much longer am I going to have to put up with this? It's a moderately amusing punch line from am moderately amusing book from 30 years ago.

    Please stop now. Honestly.

    boxlight

    1. Re:please shut up with this *42* crap by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

      This is Slashdot. Nothing besides flamboyant Firefox-fagging dumbasses, Linux geeks, and "HA HA HAHA HEE HEE HEE HEE 42!!!! LOL!! MOD +5 DOUGLAS ADAMS" to be seen here. Seriously.

  2. article was published five days early by corbettw · · Score: 0, Troll

    Maybe it's because April 1st is on a Saturday this year, and the author of the original article wanted to get a jump on the weekend. Or maybe he has a weekly article, every Monday, I'm not sure. But whatever the cause, it should be pretty obvious this is an early April Fool's article. I'm not buying it.

    --
    God invented whiskey so the Irish would not rule the world.
  3. 42... says who?? by specific · · Score: 1, Troll

    HA!! I'm only 33, and I already know everything. I just can't remember it all right now.

    --
    If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
  4. Proof Of Intelligent Design! by Naked+Chef · · Score: 0, Troll

    Well, why not?....It's as good as anything else....and better than cillia, or the eyeball, or whatever else....

    BEHOLD! I GIVE YOU.....42! :P