和图灵机相关的这个数字,已经大到整个宇宙原子都容不下了
量子位·2025-08-24 04:38

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the recent breakthrough in the record of the busy beaver number, specifically BB(6), which has reached an unimaginably large value that cannot be fully represented even if every atom in the universe were inscribed with a number [1][36]. Group 1: Definition and Background - The busy beaver number, denoted as BB(n), is a concept that explores the limits of computation as defined by Alan Turing's halting problem [7][8]. - The busy beaver game was invented by mathematician Tibor Radó in 1962, aiming to find the Turing machine with a specific number of rules that runs the longest before halting [15][17]. - The first four busy beaver numbers have been established over decades, with BB(1) = 1, BB(2) = 6, BB(3) = 21, and BB(4) = 107 [18][19][20]. Group 2: Recent Developments - The record for BB(5) was established in 2022 by an amateur mathematician team, with the value being BB(5) = 47,176,870 [21]. - The pursuit of BB(6) began in the 1990s, with significant contributions from researchers like Ligotski and Kropitz, who have pushed the limits of computation for this number [26][28]. - The latest record for BB(6) was announced by a mysterious individual known as mxdys, achieving a staggering lower bound of 10↑↑107 [34][35]. Group 3: Implications and Future Prospects - The new record for BB(6) requires complex notation that goes beyond ordinary decimal representation, indicating the vastness of the number [36]. - The article emphasizes the potential for future discoveries as computational technology and mathematical theories continue to evolve [39]. - The pursuit of understanding busy beaver numbers is framed as an artistic endeavor, highlighting the intrinsic interest in mathematics [40].