# The answer really is 42

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-answer-really-is-42/836877>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 11, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-answer-really-is-42/836877 "2019-07-11T02:00:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2019, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-answer-really-is-42/836877/1 "2019-07-11T02:00:59Z")

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[Scientists Counted All The Protein Molecules in a Cell And The Answer Really Is 42](http://sciencevibe.com/2018/03/20/scientists-counted-all-the-protein-molecules-in-a-cell-and-the-answer-really-is-42/)

> [@](#):
>
> Biologists have served up the answer to the ultimate question of life, the Universe, and everything.
> 
> That answer, as you may know, is 42. And the question, in this case, is “how many million protein molecules are there in a single cell?” …
> 
> S. cerevisiae is currently estimated to have a proteome of 5,858 proteins, and the team was able to determine that in an average yeast cell the molecules of these proteins would amount to 4.2 x 10^7 – or 42 million.