Mathematical art in the lava By George Hart for the Museum of Mathematics Edmund Harris created this geometric sculpture on a 35 year old lava field in Iceland. It can be understood as a simple form composed of equilateral triangles, but the curved edges where the triangles hinge together soften the geometry, giving it a […]
A couple of killer round-ups of science-themed cookies.
Images from the McCall Studios website. Sadly, famed science fiction and space exploration artist, Robert McCall, has died. He passed away on Friday, of a heart attack, in his Scottsdale, Arizona home. Anybody who’s paid even passing attention to sci-fi, the space program, or postage stamp art has seen Bob McCall’s work. He painted the […]
Image courtesy NASA Despite initially “iffy” weather reports, Endevaour was given the all-clear to land at Kennedy Space Center late last night, completing an almost two-week mission to the International Space Station where the crew installed a new node and the Cupola. The impressive seven-window addition has already offered up stunning pictures of earth. Image […]
Sierpinski tetrahedron By George Hart for the Museum of Mathematics A classic 3D fractal is the Sierpinski tetrahedron, which is a tetrahedron of tetrahedra of tetrahedra, etc. This fifth-order model is about 8.5 inches along its edges. It is made from nylon by selective laser sintering. If you have access to additive fabrication machines, you […]
Happy Birthday Gallileo Galilei! Galileo Galilei (15 February 1564 – 8 January 1642) was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations, and support for Copernicanism.
Skewer hyperboloid By George Hart for the Museum of Mathematics Thirty two shish kabob skewers and 176 small rubber bands are all it takes to make a beautiful hyperbolid of revolution. This is an example of what is called a “ruled surface,” meaning even though it is curved, it is made of straight lines. Below […]
