# Busy Beavers, and the Quest for Big Numbers

DevFeed: [Busy Beavers, and the Quest for Big Numbers](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/busy-beavers-and-the-quest-for-big-numbers-40262.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://www.jeremykun.com/2012/02/08/busy-beavers-and-the-quest-for-big-numbers/>)

Published: 2012-02-08T19:42:22Z

Content type: article

Language: en

Sources: [Jeremy Kun](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/jeremy-kun.md>)

Topics: [Mathematics](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/mathematics.md>), [Math and Logic](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/math-and-logic.md>), [Computing](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/computing.md>)

Tags: [ackermann-function](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ackermann-function.md>), [busy-beaver](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/busy-beaver.md>), [chessboard](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/chessboard.md>), [computing](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/computing.md>), [infinite](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/infinite.md>), [mathematics](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/mathematics.md>), [numbers](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/numbers.md>), [primer](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/primer.md>), [theory](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/theory.md>), [turing-machine](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/turing-machine.md>)

## AI overview

This article examines how the ability to describe very large numbers reflects progress in mathematical and scientific thought. It introduces historical examples, including Archimedes' estimate for the number of grains of sand in the universe, and connects them to computational topics such as Busy Beavers.

## Source excerpt

Finding Bigger Numbers, a Measure of Human Intellectual Progress Before we get into the nitty gritty mathematics, I'd like to mirror the philosophical and historical insights that one can draw from the study of large numbers. That may seem odd at first. What does one even mean by "studying" a large number? Of course, I don't mean we stare at the number 1,000,000,000,000, which is quite large, and wonder how mankind can benefit from its elusive properties.