Forty-Two

Tomorrow, Dec. 18, 2010, marks the day that I was born forty-two years ago. Below are some interesting facts about this amazing number.

In mathematics:

It is conjectured to be the scaling factor in the leading order term of the "sixth moment of the Riemann zeta function". In particular, Conrey & Ghosh have conjectured
${1 \over T}\int_0^T \left| \zeta\left({1 \over 2} + it\right) \right|^6\,dt \sim {42 \over 9!}\prod_p \left\{1-{1\over p}\right\}^4 \left( 1 + {4 \over p} + {1 \over p^2} \right) \log^9 T,$
where the infinite product is over all prime numbers, p.

Given 27 same-size cubes whose nominal values progress from 1 to 27, a 3×3×3 magic cube can be constructed such that every row, column, and corridor, and every diagonal passing through the center, comprises 3 cubes whose sum of values is 42.

In science:

In technology:

In literature (esp. Lewis Caroll)

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has 42 illustrations.
Rule Forty-two in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland ("All persons more than a mile high to leave the court".)
Rule 42 of the Code in the preface to The Hunting of the Snark ("No one shall speak to the Man at the Helm.")
The Red Queen announces her age as "one hundred and one, five years and a day", which - if the best possible date is assumed for the action of Through the Looking-Glass - gives a total of 37,044 days. With the further (textually unjustified) assumption that both Queens were born on the same day their combined age becomes 74,088 days, which is 42 x 42 x 42. Some commentators have asserted that this is deliberate on Carroll's part.

In music:

In Sports:

The jersey number of Jackie Robinson, which is the only number retired by all Major League Baseball teams. Although the number was retired in 1997, the last professional baseball player to wear number 42, Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees, is currently still using it.
The jersey number of basketball Hall of Famer and one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History James Worthy, small forward for theLos Angeles Lakers, who retired his jersey number in 1995.
The jersey number of football Hall of Famer, Ronnie Lott, safety for the San Francisco 49ers, who retired his jersey number in 2003.
The jersey number of Pat Tillman, which was retired on November 13, 2004 by Arizona State University.
The number of laws of cricket.

In TV and Film:

Fox Mulder, one of the main characters in The X-Files lived in Apartment 42 at 2630 Hegal Place, Alexandria, Virginia.
42 is one of The Numbers - 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 - featured in Lost. It is also the number tied to the character "Kwon".
42 is an episode of Doctor Who, set in real time lasting approximately 42 minutes.
In an episode of the animated show, Phineas and Ferb called "The Fast & the Phineas", the boys turn their mother's car into a racecar. The number of their racecar is 42.
42 is the name of Buzz Lightyear's space ship from Pixar's animated science fiction series Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.
In "Finding Nemo" the address of the dentist's office is recited many times by Dory, it is P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney

In other areas of life:

+42 is the historic Country calling code for the former country of Czechoslovakia
There are 42 US gallons in a barrel of oil.
The number of spots (or pips, circular patches or pits) on a pair of standard six-sided dice.
In New York City, 42nd Street is a main and very popular two-way thoroughfare. Landmarks on it include the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Terminal, the main branch of theNew York Public Library, and Times Square. The New York City street is also the setting for a movie by the same name (which also gave fame to its eponymous title song), and which later inspired a musical adaptation, 42nd Street.
Popular gadget magazine Stuff did not produce an issue numbered 42, in honor of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, instead, the 41st issue was followed by the 43rd.

Thanks to Wikipedia for some help with the fun facts. Remember, if you read it on the internet, it must be true.

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