This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
Ed. Note: Content from this post originally appeared in the Sleights of Mind website.
As the world prepares to celebrate Star Wars Day on May 4th, it seems fitting to feature a Star Wars illusion this week. After very careful consideration, it is clear we must go with then-16-year-old Paul Vermeesch‘s 2012 Legos diorama.
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Vermeesch used Legos to recreate the impossible structures in M.C. Escher‘s Relativity with a Star Wars theme.
Awesome, right? But you haven’t heard the best part yet.
He did it with The. Original. Trilogy.
Vermeesch describes his creation with additional images here.
For those of you counting the days until the release of Episode VII, you can watch the new teaser trailer, featuring Chewbacca and an aging-but-never-old Han Solo.
Or see the LEGO version below.
It’s Time to Stand Up for Science
If you enjoyed this article, I’d like to ask for your support. Scientific American has served as an advocate for science and industry for 180 years, and right now may be the most critical moment in that two-century history.
I’ve been a Scientific American subscriber since I was 12 years old, and it helped shape the way I look at the world. SciAm always educates and delights me, and inspires a sense of awe for our vast, beautiful universe. I hope it does that for you, too.
If you subscribe to Scientific American, you help ensure that our coverage is centered on meaningful research and discovery; that we have the resources to report on the decisions that threaten labs across the U.S.; and that we support both budding and working scientists at a time when the value of science itself too often goes unrecognized.
