
Ask HN: Which open mathematical problems block immediate technical progress? - Exo_Tartarus
Are there any problems in math which, if solved, would immediately impact technology? Doesn&#x27;t matter which type of technology.
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gamechangr
I don't think it works that way. It's not math that's the problem, there are
some brilliant mathematicians working as developers.

I think it's more like spotting an opportunity and having the technical skills
to execute.

I mean, I guess if you count hacking HN ranking system = immediate impact
Technology?

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marcus_chang
> I don't think it works that way.

Sure it does. With new mathematical discoveries, there come direct and
immediate consequences to the technologies built using previous assumptions -
which will now either be validated or invalidated.

If, for example, prime factorization is proven to be not computationally
difficult, invalidating the
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_RSA_assumption](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strong_RSA_assumption),
and somebody publishes a practical method, then most of the world's
cryptography systems utilizing RSA would be hacked immediately.

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cevi
Find better quantum error correcting codes, and quantum computers will show up
that much faster.

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osipov
Prove P != NP

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justadudeama
Or more exciting, p = np

