This reminds me of a story I heard about Paul Erdos while studying graph theory as an undergrad. He is supposed to have said (not sure if this is confirmed or a

This reminds me of a story I heard about Paul Erdos while studying graph theory as an undergrad. He is supposed to have said (not sure if this is confirmed or apocryphal) that if all-powerful aliens ever come to earth and demand that we give them the 5:5 Ramsey number, society should marshal all of its resources in trying to find it. If, on the other hand, they demand the 6:6 Ramsey number, we should attempt (hopeless as it may be) to fight the aliens.