At Pomona College, the number 47 holds an almost mythical status—a tradition born from intellectual curiosity and nurtured by decades of student creativity. What began in 1964 as a playful class project in Professor Donald Bentley’s math course has grown into one of the most enduring and distinctive college inside jokes. Two students set out to “prove” that the number 47 appears more frequently in nature and culture than any other number. Their results, though tongue-in-cheek, caught on quickly, and the number began appearing in math problems, campus plays, artwork, and general student lore.

Over time, 47 became a kind of cultural signature for Pomona students and alumni, a number that signifies a shared experience and subtle wit. It’s not uncommon to find the number hidden in student publications, scribbled on whiteboards, or proudly worn on athletic jerseys. The tradition has been so widely embraced that 47 appears on campus buildings and even in the naming of events. The fun of it lies in the randomness—there’s no deep mystical reason for 47’s importance, just a shared appreciation for the absurd and the clever.

The influence of Pomona’s 47 fascination has even reached pop culture, thanks in large part to alumni who carried the tradition into their careers. Most notably, Joe Menosky, a Pomona graduate and writer for Star Trek: The Next Generation and Voyager, embedded the number in dozens of episodes. As a result, 47 now lives on in the fabric of the Star Trek universe and beyond, a subtle nod to the liberal arts spirit of inquiry, humor, and community that defines Pomona. The number 47 has become more than just a joke—it’s a symbol of Pomona’s lasting and unexpected impact on the world.

While the Pomona College tradition helped popularize number 47’s mystique, The 47 Experience reaches far beyond —into something much stranger. The 47 Experience explores the mysterious and powerful recurrence of the number 47—a phenomenon that defies coincidence and invites deeper inquiry. From ancient symbolism to modern politics, religion to technology, and even the darkest corners of conspiracy, 47 appears again and again. This isn’t just theory—it’s personal. The number’s presence feels intentional, almost encoded into the fabric of reality.