59

59 is a natural number that succeeds 58 and precedes 60. In mathematics, it is a prime number, the 17th prime. It is a safe prime, since (59 − 1)/2 = 29 is also prime, and it forms a twin-prime pair with 61. As a prime congruent to 3 modulo 4, 59 cannot be expressed as a sum of two squares.

In numerals, 59 is written as LIX in Roman numerals, 111011 in binary, and 3B in hexadecimal. In ASCII, the decimal code 59 corresponds to the semicolon character, used in many programming languages as a statement terminator.

In science, 59 is the atomic number of praseodymium (Pr), a soft, silvery lanthanide. The isotope cobalt-59 (59Co) is the only stable isotope of cobalt. Praseodymium has various applications in magnets, catalysts, and glass coloration, while cobalt-59 is widely used as a reference material in nuclear physics.

Culture and geography: The number appears in street names, such as 59th Street in New York, which has given its name to songs and places. The phrase 59th Street Bridge Song, also known as Feelin' Groovy, is a well-known 1966 pop tune.

Other uses: In calendars, day 59 is February 28 in common years. The Roman numeral LIX and the ASCII semicolon connect 59 to culture and technology. The number also appears in geography, as lines such as the 59th parallel north and the 59th meridian east.