Ukranian genius memorizes Pi to 30-millionth decimal place
Published 24 June, 2009, 22:39
A Ukranian neurosurgeon, Dr. Andriy Slyusarchuk, has set a world record in memorizing large volumes of data, reciting the value of Pi to its 30-millionth decimal place.
This is not the first world record for the 38-year old genius from the city of Lvov. In March 2006, Slyusarchuk showed off his unique capabilities by establishing three records in just one evening. He named 400 geometrical figures that were given to him in random order after only 20 seconds of memorization. He also recited back 5,000 digits in perfect order, as well as reproduced Pi to its one-millionth decimal place.
Although most people use only 8-10% of their brains, Slyusarchuk says, nature has given humans far more abilities. Together with Ukrainian scientists he developed a unique system of memorizing information in large amounts, one that so far has no equals.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yuschenko personally met Slyusarchuk to congratulate him on the record.
During their meeting the president and record-holding neurosurgeon discussed the possibility of establishing a research institute in Ukraine for studying the extraordinary powers of the human body and brain. Yuschenko emphasized information gathered at such a research institute could be highly applicable in the fields of both medicine and education.
The number Pi is commonly known as 3.14, but after the decimal point the number of digits is infinite. Over the past decade, several geniuses have managed to recite a high number of digits after the decimal point, though their numbers pale in comparison to Slyusarchuk. Nikolay Skripka of Krasnodar, Russia, recited Pi to the 6,006 decimal place, and fellow Russian Aleksandr Belyaev of Chelyabinsk managed to recite it to 2,500. In 2004, Japanese Tiba Akira Kharaguchi reproduced Pi to its 83,431 decimal place.
The closest anyone has gotten to Slyusarchuk was Columbian Khaime Garcia, who in 2008 named Pi to its 150,000 decimal. It took him three days to say all the digits.
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