47,176,870
4 July 2024 at 04:45
The search for the busy beaver is ultimately a trophy hunt. The specific value of BB(5) doesn't have applications in other areas of computer science. But for busy beaver hunters, the hard-fought victory over mathematical impossibility is its own reward. It may be the last battle they'll ever win. from With Fifth Busy Beaver, Researchers Approach Computation's Limits [Quanta; ungated]