the first few mersenne integer are 3 , 7 , 31 , 127 and 8191 . these numbers took a total of several weeks to verify , using different software and hardware . each number was initially recorded by eight members of gimps ' verification team , studying 16 - element solutions of varying specifications . the four integers were announced by gimps on august 16 . before these dual discoveries , the eleven previously largest known series numbers were reported by ucmo professors curtis hunter and steven boone in ohio , united states , and their record had about three years . historically , prime quantities found by gimps are lower than the one previously found . the only other exception was when the 29th mersenne prime was revealed after the 30th and 31st were determined . developed by m . i . t . freshman george woltman in 1996 , gimps has found 12 mersenne primes , or about six per day on occasions .
Steve Boone is a member of GIMPS.