Hexa Sphericon
Sphericon and Hexa-sphericon: order your set today!
From the Matter Collection: BUY NOW The Sphericon (Hex and Regular)
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Hexa-Sphericon: Sphericons are unique solids that roll in such a way that every point on their surface comes in contact with the plane. Solids from the sphericon family all have one side and two edges. Each sphericon is based on a regular polygon, with the basic sphericon derived from a square, and here- a more interesting case with more complex rolling motion- from a hexagon.
Hexa Sphericon
Select metal versions, or less expensive 3D printed versions avaiable here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Sphericons
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Hexa-Sphericon: Sphericons are unique solids that roll in such a way that every point on their surface comes in contact with the plane- following the path shown here with white paper. Solids from the sphericon family all have one side and two edges. Each sphericon is based on a regular polygon, with the basic sphericon derived from a square, and here- a more interesting case with more complex rolling motion- from a hexagon.
Novascope Kaleidoscope
The Novascope can be ordered from the artist here:
From novascopes.com: Order here Novascope by David Sugich
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Novascope: tapered mirror kaleidoscope by David Sugich uses three mirrors to create an image of geodesic spheres. Three mirrors in an equilateral triangle configuration will produce a plane of tiled triangles, but if they are tapered the repeated reflections curve to infinity creating the spherical geometry. In this design there are thin gaps etched into one mirror which allows in colored light from a flashlight (on the white side of the pyramid shaped scope) to produce the hexagon lattice. Shining a light through the view portal reveals where the colored lines come from as a flashlight moves from top to bottom and back. Invented by the famous Scottish physicist Sir David Brewster (1781-1868), the kaleidoscope is an ultimate physics toy and entire field of artistic endeavor.
Pentominoes
Get this set here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW Hardwood Pentominoes
Many versions available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Pentominoes
The book by mathematician Solomon Golomb that started the polyonomo recreational math craze:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Polyominoes
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Pentominoes: The 12 possible arrangements of five identical squares joined edge to edge. Since 5x12=60, the pentominoes can tile a 6 x 10 rectangle with no gaps (2339 ways to do this- yet even finding one solution is a challenge). I love this beautiful set from artist/woodworker Ron Moore where each pentomino is made from a different kind of hard wood.
Pythagorean Puzzle
Available here:
From Creative Crafthouse: BUY NOW Pythagorean Puzzle
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Pythagorean Puzzle: a proof, in physical form, of one of the most famous equations concerning the sides of any right triangle. The area of a square with side c of the hypotenuse is indeed equal to the sum of the areas of the squares of side a and b. This kit also allows at least two other ways to prove this theorem named after the famous Greek mathematician from 500 BC. One of the most used formulas when calculating vectors in physics classes ?
Pentakis Geometric Kaleidoscope
This item is hard to find, but I believe it is in stock here:
From AHA in Zurich: BUY NOW Pentakis
for More kaleidoscopes click here
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Pentakis Geometric Kaleidoscope: three triangle mirrors in a pyramid configuration create a stellated dodecahedron. The tapered mirrors are in the form of a 60°-72°-60° isosceles triangle with the apex of the pyramid cut off just right to form the triangle of light that is then reflected up to 60 times to create the star in the center of view. Pentakis by Caspar Schwabe.
10 Hex Puzzle
This and other beautiful and well made puzzles are available on Etsy:
From Etsy: BUY NOW 10 Hex Puzzle
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Two great resources about these polyhexs: polyform puzzler page and puzzleworld page
10 Hex Puzzle: this puzzle is comprised of pieces which are the set of all ways three and four hexagons can be joined with a common edge. There are 3 trihexs and 7 possible tetrahexs, and similar to pentominoes, these 10 polyhexs can assemble into a large hexagon. Amazingly there are exactly 12,290 solutions to this puzzle- but it’s still a challenge to find just one!
Tapered Mirrors Kaleidoscope
This design by Koji Yamami available here:
From kaleidoscopeshop.com: BUY NOW Space Teleiedoscope
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Click on this link for details on the physics and symmetries of two mirror kaleidoscopes.
Tapered Mirrors Kaleidoscope: the unique design of this teleidoscope uses three mirrors to create an image of a geodesic sphere. As can be seen through the semi-transparent acrylic tube, the three mirrors are tapered, with their smaller ends near the ball shaped lens. Three mirrors in an equilateral triangle configuration will produce a plane of tiled triangles, but if they are tapered the repeated reflections curve to infinity creating the sphere. In this design by Koji Yamami there are small gaps between the mirrors which allows in colored light from the iridescent tube to produce the radiant streaks of light. Invented by the famous Scottish physicist Sir David Brewster (1781-1868), the kaleidoscope is an ultimate physics toy and entire field of artistic endeavor.
Opticum 3 Font
Get your custom message engraved here:
From Creative Crafthouse on Etsy: BUY NOW Custom Opticum Font Message Plaque
This family of fonts is available here: Opticum 3 from Linotype
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Opticum 3 Font: This laser engraved message uses the Opticum 3 font designed by Erken Kagarov, where indirect lighting reveals the symbols hidden in a maze- created by simply typing out your message using this font. Amazing application of geometry and shadow!
Inverting Valentines Illusion
This 3D printed illusion available here:
From Shapeways: BUY NOW Red Hearts Illusion Object
Similar item here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Red Hearts Illusion
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Inverting Valentines Illusion: Love is a matter of perspective in this illusion that depends on viewing angle. A sweet take on the ambiguous object illusion invented by Kokichi Sugihara of Meiji University.
Rhombic Blocks Mathematical Puzzle
This beautifully made puzzle available here::
From Etsy: BUY NOW Rhombic Blocks
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Rhombic Blocks Mathematical Puzzle: There are 9 possible ways three rhombuses can be joined together along a common edge, and similar to pentominoes, these 9 tri-rhombs can tile a polyhedron, in this case a hexagon. There are 14 solutions to this puzzle, and one where no same-colored pieces touch. A beautiful math discovery by puzzle master Stuart Coffin.
High Voltage Fractal in Wood
Amazing creations made here:
From Etsy store EngravedGrain: BUY NOW High Voltage Fractal
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High Voltage Fractal in Wood: a Lichtenberg fractal created by a high voltage electrical current flow across a piece of wood. Since wood is an insulator a light coating of conducting water (for instance a solution of baking soda or salt) is first applied to the surface. Metal electrodes are then attached at each end of the wood piece and a dangerous source of high voltage is applied (such as a microwave oven transformer or neon light transformer).
Logarithmic Spiral Gears
Amazing kinetitc creations made here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Spiral Gear Set 3D Printed
Original 3D print files available here:
From Thingverse: Spiral Gear Set
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Logarithmic Spiral Gears: an extreme example of non-circular gear sets. This set is based on the famous Fibonacci spiral and evokes the cross section of nautilus shell with internal chambers. If one gear of this set is turned at constant speed, the other will turn with an varying speed. A laser cut based on 3D prints of Misha Tikh and the research of Balint et al.
Holoscopes
Order a holoscope from the artist's gallery here:
The artwork of Gary Allison: BUY NOW Holoscopeworld.com
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6 and 12 Faced Holoscopes: a cube and dodecahedron of mirrors. A type of kaleidoscope based on truncated Platonic solids by artist Gary Allison @holoscope2000. These holoscopes are in the form of two famous Platonic solids- each with all the corners cut off to allow light to enter through triangular holes. Through the symmetry of the reflections, these triangles appear as an infinite array of tetrahedron shapes in the dodecahedron, and as beautiful repeating stellated octahedrons in the cube. Each holoscope has stained glass on the exterior and front surface mirrors on the inside which create the amazing and seemingly impossible spaces within.
Skew Dice
Available here!
From Amazon: BUY NOW Skew Dice
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Skew Dice: these unusually shaped dice are completely fair- roll them and the probability of outcomes are identical to a standard set of dice! The odd shapes are a special type of polyhedra called asymmetric trigonal trapezohedra which come in right and left handed versions- this set has one of each (mirror images of each other). What allows this shape to be fair like a cube has to do with the property of being isohedral, where each face of an object will map onto all other faces via a symmetry of the object. Manufactured by The Dice Lab.
Orbiforms
Orbiforms available here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW Orbiforms
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Orbiforms: volumes of constant width made from solid steel, brass, and copper- these shapes have constant diameter no matter their orientation and will roll like spheres between two planes- note how the acrylic plate stays parallel to the table as the orbiforms roll underneath. The first set shown are based on the Reuleaux triangle and the second set are based on a Reuleaux pentagon. Featured items from @altdynamic
The Galton Board
Available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW Galton Board
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The Galton Board: 3000 steel balls fall through 12 levels of branching paths and always end up matching a bell curve distribution. Each ball has a 50/50 chance of following each branch such that the balls are distributed at the bottom by the mathematical binomial distribution. One of my favorite finds of 2018! An elegantly designed modern version of the Galton Box invented by Sir Francis Galton(1894) to demonstrate the Central Limit Theorem - showing how random processes gather around the mean. In addition the number of balls in each bin can be predicted by Pascal's triangle (printed on the face over the pegs).
Impossible Card Case
Get this fun card case here and support this amazing museum:
From the MoMath Store: BUY NOW: Rollover Card Case
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Impossible Card Case: this business card carrier has a special double hinge that allows it to be opened from either side, and transforms from stripes of white and silver to black and silver. I use this to carry @physicsfun bling diffractive stickers. Sometimes called a magic or flip case, the ribbon construction is similar to the famous Jacob’s Ladder toy I’ve featured and dscribed.