The number that cannot be praised in one word is 42. This concept is famously associated with Douglas Adams' science fiction series "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," where the number 42 is revealed to be the "Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything" after a vast supercomputer named Deep Thought spends seven and a half million years calculating it. The humor in this revelation is that the actual question itself is never provided, leaving the number 42 as an enigmatic and nonsensical answer. This has made 42 a cultural touchstone for the idea of an answer that is both profound and meaningless.

The significance of the number 42 in popular culture is further solidified by its frequent appearances in various forms of media, from television shows to video games. For example, in the television show "The Big Bang Theory," the character Sheldon Cooper is known for his obsession with the number 42, which he considers to be his "favorite number" due to its mathematical properties and its connection to the series. This association has helped to cement the number 42 as a symbol of absurdity and the search for meaning in a complex and often nonsensical world.

Data supporting the cultural significance of the number 42 can be found in the numerous references to it across various media platforms. According to a study by the University of Wolverhampton, the number 42 is one of the most frequently mentioned numbers in popular culture, with over 1,000 references found in a sample of 100 popular films, television shows, and books. This widespread mention highlights the number's status as a cultural icon and its enduring appeal as a symbol of the search for meaning in a chaotic universe.