I've seen some talk about this recently, I have the basic idea of what it is but can someone explain it a bit more? I know that it is an equation, involving the numbers, that predicts the end of humanity. I know that Darhma was founded to try to change the equation to save humanity. What I don't understand are the specifics of it, all the explainations I have seen have been the most vague description of anything that I have ever read. It sounds like the kind of BS you tell someone when you don't know what you are talking about, but want to sound smart anyway.

Unless I missed something, I really think there is no point in even concerning ourselves with a ridiculous theory that has never even been slightly touched on during the show.

The Valenzetti Equation is the mathematical equation developed by the reclusive Princeton University mathematician Enzo Valenzetti. Its creation was the result of efforts made following the Cuban Missile Crisis by the United States and the Soviet Union to find a solution to the hostility and danger of imminent global disaster created by the Cold War. The equation was secretly commissioned through the UN Security Council and is used to predict the time of human extinction.


Unknown man writing the Valenzetti Equation on a chalkboard in the Sri Lanka VideoAccording to the 1975 orientation film in the Sri Lanka Video, the Valenzetti Equation "predicts the exact number of years and months until humanity extinguishes itself." In it, Alvar Hanso also states that the radio transmitter on the Island, will "broadcast the core numerical values of the Valenzetti Equation." The numbers, 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42, are explained in the Sri Lanka Video, as the numerical values to the core environmental and human factors of the Valenzetti Equation. Alvar Hanso also states in the video that the purpose of the DHARMA Initiative is to change the numerical values of any one of the core factors in the equation in order to give humanity a chance to survive. However, Thomas Mittelwerk reveals that as of 2006, they have failed to change the values through manipulating the environment, as the equation continues to arrive at the same six numbers. It is unknown how or if the most recent calculation of the equation is automatically reflected in the radio transmissions.

Rachel Blake also learned that the Hanso Foundation was forcing savants at the Vik Institute in Iceland to run the equation over and over. Somehow, five hieroglyphic symbols were involved in the calculations (Armand Zander described them as "representative"), the same hieroglyphs seen on the countdown timer in the Swan station.

The Blast Door Map included a reference to the equation; a zone on the island is marked as being of "low relevance to Valenzetti-related research activity". - Lostpedia

Gary Troup, the mystery writer who died on Oceanic Flight 815, wrote a now out-of-print book called The Valenzetti Equation about Valenzetti and his apocalyptic equation. Apparently Alvar Hanso bought all copies and now owns the only known copies, along with distribution rights etc. (Lostpedia) Cindy Chandler, the stewardess with the children, Zack and Emma, was Gary Troup's girlfriend, but she had broken up with him before flight 815. Gary Troup is the guy who gets sucked into the jet engine in the pilot episode.

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OK, I've read all that before, but I didn't know Gary Troup was the guy that got sucked into the turbine. Other than that little bit (which I believe was part of one of the online games?) the equation still means squat to me.

Is that all there is? Just one more ambiguous aspect of this show?

Do you know what I mean when I say that first paragraph sounds like a person trying to explain something they have no idea about, but they still want to sound smart? I got through college producing the exact same kind of thing, smart enough to sound like i know what I am talking about, unless some one asks a question...

Well, you do realize it's not real - it's just a made-up thing for the purpose of the show. No one knows the exact Valenzetti Equation because in the story line Mr. Hanso has purchased all the books that contained it, which is convient. And then Gary Troup was on the plane that crashed on the island, and even more conviently, he died.

I see what you mean But considering that majority of the LOST audience is not trained in advanced physics, I think "that's squat" is going to be somewhat the general feeling for most of us anyways. Tons of speculation, attempted explanation and excitement yet no agreeable clarity. Personally I enjoy that to some extent, though I'd understand the frustration as well. This can only be preferable to the producers though. I am positive they'd prefer semi-literate speculating you mentioned, to some physics professor objecting to, say, the narrative's imaging of the relation between some massive release of EM and time travel via wormholes, parallel universes etc. Pseudo-science often proves to be a lot more fun

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"Bear...? Is that you?"-- Hurley S03E4

I too feel like I've been fed a heaping helping of red herring in regard to the numbers and the Valenzetti Equation, especially in light of the way they seem so good at looping back to correlate seemingly unrelated aspects and the way last weeks episode showed us specific reasons for the spacetime discontinuities associated with the island. Hopefully, it's a deliberate misdirection and we'll all go "oooooooooooooooo" when they tie it back in. I'll be really disappointed if that doesn't happen

I could be barking up completely the wrong tree, but could this "Enzo Valenzetti" chap actually be Hurley's Connect 4 playing friend from the mental hospital who just says the numbers over and over?!

(This is my first post so don't be too hard on me if i'm talking utter nonsense!!)

Welcome to the forums spethmeister
Valenzetti, Hurley's Connect 4 mate? I think that's a very intriguing question!

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"Bear...? Is that you?"-- Hurley S03E4

I think that IF Valenzetti were still alive, he would be either 1) On the island or 2) Attempting to get there.
Also, this show puts a lot of stock into the actors and characters, so if Valenzetti were in the show at some point, I don't think it would be someone we've already seen saying, "oh, yeah, and that's me".
However, I disagree that the number sequence and the equation itself are wild goose chases as far as discerning the plot. I believe the opposite, that those numbers and the research pertaining to them are the only really informative aspects of the plotline. Everything else centers around ithat.
I mean, all the other data we have could be viewed as lies or hearsay. The whole different time-line thing, all of Ben's B.S., and all the propaganda on those DHARMA tapes; none of it is conclusive.
The numbers are the only "constant" for the entire narrative, in other words.
All we KNOW as far as unbelievable things is that they made an island vanish. If you'd given Houdini unlimited funding, I bet he could have figured out a way to do that.

And maybe Valenzetti was on the island at one point in the past ...or lost his sanity while trying to figure a way for getting to island? We don't know that yet

If Valenzetti and Hugo's C4 mate were to end up being the same person, that wouldn't be because the producers needed some budget cut anyways Such configurations are part, in fact characteristic of LOST narrative. Plenty of the characters we've seen in Lost have appeared around one another in many occasions, affecting each other's path in one way or another prior to knowing each other personally on island..

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"Bear...? Is that you?"-- Hurley S03E4