Does Nature use prime numbers for any purposes?

Question

Two different species of periodical cicada in America spend 13 or 17 years underground before emerging for a few weeks to mate and lay eggs and then die. Both 13 and 17 are primes, and the cicada uses these so that predatory insects with periodical lifespans of their own will have little chance of coinciding their life cycle with those of the cicada (because primes have no other factors other than themselves and 1 - e.g. if the cicada used a 10 year period, then insects with a a 2 or 5 year period could end up as systematic predators). This made me wonder if there are any other instances of primes occuring in the natural world

Answer 1

Honestly I did never knew the facts you have explained.

I have reasonably well analyzed prime numbers as a part of understanding number system. You may assess part of it by going to website www.vedicmaths.org newsletter 53 titled 3D model of Vedic computing!

Apparently people are not in a position to answer question you have raised.

I can give you some clue to it based on my study.

An Ancient Indian method to sort prime numbers is very easy to apply. Step of 6+1 or step of 6-1 is either a prime number or 'a number having only prime number factors'!

When you mark reciprocal values of said prime numbers you will find that they either relate positions of a 2D matrix ( reciprocal 17 ) or a 3D matrix (reciprocal 13). Said facts can be tested on a pc having an autoCAD license. I recommend you take help of a qualified person.

Study relates a series of numbers 11, 0101, 001001, 00010001, or a higher order similar number. I have retained left zeros purposfully.

You will find that 11 and 101 are prime numbers
whereas 1001 is 7*11*13 and 7, 13, 77, 91, 143 and 1001 have recurring decimals of six digits each. It implies said reciprocal values when splitted as 2,2,2 digits each can mark x, y and z 3D points. You will also find that digits sum of '13' is 4, which is 2*2 and so it relates '12' nos 3D points when reciprocal values are taken in a cyclic order (1/13=076923, 769230, 692307 ... so on.

Similarly you will find that 17*05882353=0000000100000001 and 1/17= 0588 2352 9411 7647 which could be again represented in a cyclic order. However you can mark 2D points alone with said reciprocal values. ( 17= 2*2*2*2 +1)

So there are great relations, which need study relating 2D and 3D matrix positions to recognize their mathematical relations. It is a lifelong activity!

Coming back to their relations with lifecycles of living things my awareness is absolute zero.

You may use the knowledge I have stated above if it is of any value to you!

Answer 2

I am not sure about nature using prime numbers; but one interesting fact is it does follow the golden ratio phi which is 1.6180. This ratio is obtained by dividing a larger no. by the preceding smaller no. in the Fibonacci series i.e. 0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,144,233,377,610,987,1597,2584 and so on. The spiral of the Nautilus shell, the spiral of the florets in a sunflower, the spiral of the human DNA, the spiral curvature of the horns of the Ram etc. all follow the golden ratio.
Perhaps nature has secrets in arithmetic and geometry.

Answer 3

What are you trying to do, figure out God's great plain for the world He created? Your waisting your time. It's kinda like asking how long a day is in eternity?