2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13… Guess the pattern? They’re all prime numbers. Prime numbers are more than a way to torture students on math tests or a source of beauty for math geeks. They also provide the foundation for most of modern cryptography, which is the practice of hiding private information. Every time you swipe your ATM card or check your bank balance online, a cryptosystem ensures that your information—and virtual information kept by all governments worldwide—is kept safe.
