Quick Facts About the Number 26

Numbers, numbers everywhere! If you are into Astrology and Numerology, then you might have a thing for numbers and their inherent qualities and meanings. If not, then you will probably still enjoy reading through our list of 10 Quick Facts About the Number 26. Do not worry; not all of our facts are full of hokey cosmological statistics. Yet the number 26 does appear in many other aspects of life and history. For instance, we can see the recurrence of the number 26 in sports, religion, and even in natural and geopolitical disasters. There are also many famous birthdays that take place on the 26th of the month.

The number 26 makes appearances in the Bible, the Torah, the Rubik’s Cube, and in many mathematical and scientific applications. Have you ever wanted to study string theory? Then you may find the number 26 there. Do you like to watch the TV game show Deal or No Deal? Well, then you may recall that there are 26 suitcases to choose from. In fact, what is it with the number 26 showing up in our day-to-day lives like that? It’s weird! However, it’s probably not as weird as the prediction of a scientist back in the day, who foresaw that by the year 2026 (that is in 10 years, but the way!) humans and machines will have reached a state of technological singularity.

Are you ready to read on and learn more about the number 26? Whether it is your favorite number, your age, or the number on your license plate, you will start seeing 26 everywhere you go. You’re welcome!

Fun Facts about the Number 26

1 For Those of You Born on the 26th of the Month…

No, we don’t think that you will be cursed forever, but according to Astrology, you are probably a realistic person who emanates a quiet confidence. 26 also represents a nice balance between excess and scarcity, making you a pretty level-headed individual. Sensitive and imaginative, yet strong and pragmatic, it seems that those born on the 26th have really got it made! That being said, 26ers tend to be impatient and they are not privy to criticism and pressure from friends, family, and society. Some famous people born on the 26th include Nancy Pelosi, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Frost, and Keira Knightley.

2 The Number 26 Sneaks Into Our Daily Lives

We may not realize it at first glance, but the number 26 shows up quite frequently throughout our days. Consider that there are 2 letters in the English alphabet or that most television series have 26 episodes in a regular season. That might not be so weird, but there is also a band called 26, a book titled 26, and 26 was the name of a dice game that was played about a hundred years ago in the United States. A human’s foot and ankle contains 26 bones, and God gave people the Torah in the 26 generation of Creation, according to Judaism.

3 A 26-Letter Word Exists

If you speak Italian, maybe you know the word precipitevolissimevolmente, which means “as fast as possible.” Hm, in English we just say “ASAP;” it’s much easier. Anyway, this 26-letter Italian word is one of the longest words ever in any language, and it dates back to 1677, when it was created by Francesco Moneti. Who was he kidding, inventing a word like this? Sure, it’s a superlative, but simply saying hasty (frettoloso) or rapid (rapido) would seriously suffice. From precipitevolissimevolmente we can get the English word precipitous, referring to an action that is done without any prior thought or consideration.

Related: Learn about 12 of the Most Misused Words in the English Language

4 26 is Highly Scientific

Bear with us on this one; it is a real doozy. According to the Bosonic String Theory, there are 26 spacetime dimensions. Sure, this was the first iteration of the concept of string theory, and it dates back to the 1960s. String theory is almost impossible to explain in layman’s terms, but we can try. Also called “the theory of everything,” scientists and researchers use string theory to make connections between quantum physics and gravity. In short, everything in the world is composed of tiny strong strings, or filaments or energy. Scientists have used these findings to explore the possibilities of parallel universes and alternative worlds. Trippy stuff, right?

5 Reach Age 26 and You’re Home Free

Or at least, maybe that’s what men were feeling back during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, when the military draft was a very real and very scary thing. It turns out that men (and women) can’t be drafted into the military if they are older than 26 years of age. If you ask us, that sounds awfully young. We mean, people may still want to fight for their country beyond the age of 26, but we supposed the military only wants those people who are young and nimble. The United States military draft lasted from 1940 to 1974, and now men and women voluntarily enlist in the Armed Forces.

6 Great Athletes Have Worn the Number 26

Several sports jerseys bearing the number 26 have been worn by great athletes in years past. For instance, Gene Autry, the founder of the Los Angeles Angels, wore jersey number 26. Johnny Oates of the Texas Rangers and Billy Williams of the Chicago Cubs (and a Hall of Famer) also wore number 26 on their jerseys. Hey, maybe this number is just getting a bad rap; maybe it isn’t so bad after all. In other sports connections, 26 is the number of miles in a standard marathon race, and earning 26 points (20, 5, and 1) when aiming for the 20 point spot in darts is considered a “joke throw.”

7 26 Holds Bad Luck

If you are of the superstitious type, then you will probably want to know about the bad luck surrounding the number 26. Or maybe you already know. Throughout history, a multitude of horrific and catastrophic events have occurred on the 26th of the month. Is it just coincidence, or is the number 26 truly bad luck? If you need some real world examples, consider that Sri Lanka was hit with a deadly tsunami on December 26, 2004; Krakatoa erupted on August 26, 1883; and 166 people were killed in a terrorist attack in Mumbai on November 26, 2008. Scary stuff.

8 26 is a Religious Number

In the Hebrew language, 26 is a gematric number, which means that all of the Hebrew characters add up to 26. In the Greek language, the number 26 is represented by the word “agape,” which means “love,” but not just any kind of love. This is the intense love that one has for their Divine Creator, such as God (another connection between the number 26 and religion.) Both the English and the Hebrew versions of the Psalms include this verse 26 times: “For His mercy endures forever.” The line is found in Psalm 136; once in each of the 26 verses.

9 Beware of 2026

This is the year in which scientist Heinz von Foerster predicted that we will obtain a level of technological singularity. What exactly does that mean? Well, according to Foerster, on November 11, 2026, humans and machines will be somewhat on the same wavelength with each other. So, machines will be able to turn themselves on and off, program and develop themselves, and pretty much take over for the human race. Is it possible? Many scientists seem to think not, but there are always those in the scientific community who think that anything is possible! Considering this is in 10 years, we agree with the former group.

10 26 Moves Are All You Need to Solve a Rubik’s Cube

Darn Rubik’s Cubes! They are just about impossible to solve, yet there are those freakish people who are able to solve them in 5 seconds flat, or even blindfolded! Well, as it turns out, the curious Rubik’s Cube can be solved in 26 moves or less. Hungarian professor and sculptor Erno Rubik created the cube game in 1974, and it has been boggling the minds of people all over the world for decades. A true Rubik’s Cube is made of 26 smaller cubes, and includes the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and white. So the question is: can you solve it?