Muffleheads - Child's Play in '04

I'm used to them since my house is close to some wooded areas. Although they probably aren't as loud as these will be. As kids my friends and I would try to get remove their shedded skins from their perch in perfect condition...it's more difficult than you would think.

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Lord Gonchar said:
So the 13 year and 17 varieties only hit in unison every 221 years?

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No, it happens more frequently than that. According to this article on CNN.COM there are 5 broods of 13 year locusts and 13 broods of 17 year locusts. This particular brood # X (of the 17 year locusts) seems to be the largest.

*** Edited 4/13/2004 9:35:27 PM UTC by Jeffrey Seifert***

Thanks, Jeffey...I knew I'd heard/seen an article saying it happened more often than that.

mOOSH [we don't have cicadas in California]

Ok, didn't realize there were several varieties of each (it might help if I actually did more than skim these articles, huh?)

So assuming each "brood" of 13 or 17 year cicadas doesn't hatch the same year (looking at the 'worst' case scenario here) - the absolute longest you could go between years when both hit in unison is 13 years. (the shortest would be back to back years, obviously)

But the frequency of a specific brood from each side hitting in unison would still be 221 years.

For example, if Brood #1 of the 13 year cicadas is hitting in unison with Brood #1 of the 17 year variety in 2004 couldn't happen again until 2225)

From what I found with a google search, Brood X is the largest 17 year brood and emerged in 1970, 1987, and 2004. The largest 13 year brood, Brood XIX, emerged in 1972, 1985, and 1998. So with a little fun with excel, you come up with 2089 as the next time they emerge together. I’m a geek.

Cool, Snoogans - someone did the legwork I was too lazy to to do :)

That's exactly what I was trying to get at. So the last time the two biggest broods emerged would have been 1868.

Anyone want to find the info on the largest of the other broods (9 year, etc) and figure out when the largest possible population of cicadas terrorizes the US? ;)

Not really. Why don't you give it a go, Gonch? :)

Wow. Just when you think it can't get any more geeky... it gets nerdy.

I always try to take it to the next level :)

There's a simple little first-year programming assignment lurking around here somehwere...

I am reminded of a number theory class I took a while ago. I have no idea what it means anymore, but I just want to say "Chinese Remainder Theorem." It just sounds cool. Especially since I'm Chinese....and a remainder....theorem.

Can I retitle this thread to "Let Your Geek Flag Fly"?