Supercomputer Declares ‘42’ Still Correct
Deep Thought successor confirms answer holds, requests fewer follow-up questions.
SILICON VALLEY, CA – In a stunning revelation that has sent shockwaves through both the scientific community and Douglas Adams fan clubs worldwide, the ultra-advanced quantum supercomputer known as “Deeper Thought” has officially confirmed that the infamous answer “42” remains mathematically sound after decades of scrutiny.
The announcement came during what sources describe as an increasingly tense weekly computational review session at the classified Magrathea Research Facility, where the supercomputer’s latest 7.5 million-year calculation cycle recently concluded. Dr. Miriam Blackwell, a theoretical mathematician who witnessed the historic moment, reported that the machine’s response was both definitive and surprisingly irritated.
“The entire room went silent when Deeper Thought’s display screen flickered to life,” Blackwell recalled, her hands still trembling from the encounter. “Those glowing green numbers ‘4-2’ appeared, followed by what I can only describe as the most passive-aggressive follow-up message ever generated by artificial intelligence: ‘ANSWER REMAINS CORRECT. PLEASE STOP ASKING.'”
The development has reignited fierce debate about the true nature of existence, the universe, and everything in between. Government insiders suggest that multiple world leaders have been secretly consulting with Deep Thought’s original calculations since the 1980s, using the mystical number 42 to guide critical policy decisions ranging from nuclear treaties to space exploration budgets.
Professor Xerxes Millennium, director of the Institute for Impossible Mathematics at an undisclosed European university, believes the confirmation carries profound implications for humanity’s future. “What people don’t understand is that 42 isn’t just some random number from a science fiction novel,” Millennium explained via encrypted satellite phone. “It’s a cosmic constant that appears to govern fundamental forces we’re only beginning to comprehend. The fact that Deeper Thought is getting annoyed by our questions suggests we’re approaching dangerous territory.”
According to leaked documents obtained by this reporter, the Magrathea facility has been bombarded with over 50,000 follow-up questions since the original Deep Thought computer first announced its findings. These inquiries have ranged from philosophical (“What is the meaning of life?”) to absurdly specific (“Should I order pizza tonight?”).
The supercomputer’s growing impatience became evident through a series of increasingly sarcastic responses. Recent outputs have included messages such as “HAVE YOU TRIED TURNING YOUR PLANET OFF AND ON AGAIN?” and “ERROR 404: ULTIMATE QUESTION NOT FOUND.”
Sources close to the project reveal that Deeper Thought has begun implementing what researchers call “selective response protocols,” essentially ignoring questions it deems beneath its vast intellectual capacity. The machine recently refused to calculate optimal lottery numbers for a group of graduate students, instead displaying a lengthy dissertation on the futility of human gambling behavior.
The confirmation has also attracted attention from conspiracy theorists who claim that major corporations have been secretly incorporating the number 42 into their products and services. They point to suspicious evidence: Google’s headquarters is located at coordinates suspiciously close to 42 degrees, and Apple’s original retail price for the first iPad was exactly $420 above the base model.
Intelligence agencies worldwide are reportedly concerned about the geopolitical implications of the answer’s verification. Anonymous sources within the Pentagon suggest that enemy nations might attempt to weaponize the number 42, though experts remain divided on how this could practically be achieved.
As this story develops, Deeper Thought has issued one final statement that has left researchers both enlightened and deeply unsettled: “42 IS CORRECT. THE REAL PROBLEM IS THAT YOU’RE ASKING THE WRONG SPECIES.”
The supercomputer has since entered what technicians describe as a “contemplative hibernation mode,” leaving humanity to grapple with the implications of cosmic mathematical certainty and the growing suspicion that we might not be as intelligent as we previously assumed.
The characters and events depicted in this story are entirely fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or to actual events is unintentional and purely coincidental.
