Prime number the 1970s, mathematicians and physicists have speculated that the zeros of the Riemann zeta function are connected to the energy levels of quantum systems. Prime numbers are also significant in quantum information science, thanks to mathematical structures such as mutually unbiased bases and symmetric informationally complete positive-operator-valued measures. The evolutionary strategy used by cicadas of the genus "Magicicada" makes use of prime numbers. These insects spend most of their lives as grubs underground. They only pupate and then emerge from their burrows after 7, 13 or 17 years, at which point they fly about, breed, and then die after a
17 (number) 17 (number) 17 (seventeen) is the natural number following 16 and preceding 18. It is a prime number. In English speech, the numbers 17 and 70 are sometimes confused, as they sound very similar. The number 17 has wide significance in pure mathematics, as well as in applied sciences, law, music, religion, sports, and other cultural phenomena. Seventeen is the sum of the first four prime numbers. Seventeen is the seventh prime number. The next prime is nineteen, with which it forms a twin prime. Seventeen is a permutable prime and a supersingular prime. Seventeen is the third Fermat prime,