The Sciences
Mathematical Impressions: Long Sword Dancing [Video]
This art form produces stable patterns of interwoven segments that are mathematically rich
Stories by George Hart
Math
Mathematical Impressions: The Bicycle Pulling Puzzle
If you pull straight back on the lower pedal of your bicycle, will the bike move forward or backward? This classic puzzle has a surprising twist...
Math
Mathematical Impressions: Making Music with a Möbius Strip
Musical chords naturally inhabit certain topological spaces, which show the possible paths that a composer can use to move between chords
Math
Mathematical Impressions: Goldberg Polyhedra [Video]
Because of their aesthetic appeal, organic feel and easily understood structure, Goldberg polyhedra have a surprising number of applications ranging from golf-ball dimple patterns to nuclear-particle detector arrays...
Math
Follow That Bike!
The direction a bicycle has traveled can be determined by examining its tracks and thinking about tangent lines, geometric constraints and the bike's steering mechanism
Math
Mathematical Impressions: An Exploration of Symmetric Structures [Video]
Objects with icosahedral symmetry occur in nature only at microscopic scales, including quasicrystals, many viruses and some beautiful protozoa in the radiolarian family
Math
The Real Power of Crystals: Attesting to Atoms
The exact angles of crystals reveals their underlying structure as given by repeating lattices of atoms and molecules, as explained in this video by geometer George Hart
Math
Mathematical Impressions: The Surprising Menger Sponge Slice [Video]
What happens when this well-studied cube-like fractal is sliced on a diagonal plane? Try to predict the solution the puzzle before minute 3:25 in this video
Math
Mathematical Impressions: Can You Turn a Rubber Band into a Knot? [Video]
Theory suggests it is impossible, but geometer George Hart shows that the band's thickness can help you solve this puzzle
