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Forty days and forty nights
40 is the number of trial and transformation in Abrahamic religions. Moses led the Jews through the desert for 40 years, Jesus fasted for 40 days, Mohammed began preaching at 40. Christian Lent lasts 40 days.
Numerology
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40°C — boundary of dangerous fever
Body temperature of 40°C and above is considered medically dangerous and requires immediate intervention. At 42°C, proteins in cells begin to denature irreversibly. The 40° threshold is a critical marker for doctors.
Science
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Ali Baba and the forty thieves
'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves' is one of the most famous tales from One Thousand and One Nights. In Arab culture, the number 40 means 'very many' — like the Russian 'tma' (darkness/multitude).
Culture