General fact: 40 is the number of eggs that female alligators lay, which hatch in 60 - 70 days.
Mathematical fact: 40 is the only number whose letters are in alphabetical order.
Trivia: 40 is the number of thieves in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and in Ali Shar and Zumurrud, from Thousand and One Nights.
Historical date: February 9th is the day in 1895 that William G. Morgan creates a game called Mintonette, which soon comes to be referred to as volleyball.