There can be very long periods where number theory advances are no more useful than say string theory or literary theory. Then every once in a while you hit so

There can be very long periods where number theory advances are no more useful than say string theory or literary theory. Then every once in a while you hit something big. Much of encryption rests on what was formerly ivory tower papers on prime numbers. This isn't to increase or diminish the importance of the accomplishment. I actually don't know where this belongs in the annals of math.