A New Pyramid-Like Shape Always Lands the Same Side Up
1 min read
Summary
Mathematicians have long wondered whether it’s possible to make a tetrahedron – a three-dimensional object with four triangular faces – that will balance on just one of its faces, yet collapse if placed on any other.
In 1966, mathematicians John Conway and Richard Guy investigated the possibility of creating such tetrahedra, but ultimately concluded that they don’t exist.
The conclusion was reached by showing that no uniform object, if created, would have this property.
However, the mathematicians wondered whether such tetrahedra could be created if their weight was unevenly distributed.
Now, tetrahedra with this property have been designed and built, in a achievement that reveals the value of experimentation in maths.
While the proof was theoretical, constructing the physical tetrahedron, which has a carbon fibre and tungsten carbide construction, was a complex task.
The discovery paves the way for theoretical insights, as well as potential practical applications, such as in the design of self-righting spacecraft.
