Math Monday: Glass Bead Construction

Craft & Design Science
Math Monday: Glass Bead Construction

By George Hart for the Museum of Mathematics

Math_Monday_banner02_600px.jpg

A few weeks ago this column showed an assortment of small geometric structures made from beads by Horibe Kazunori. Well, anything which is cool at hold-in-your-hand size becomes extra cool when scaled up to gigantic size. This beautiful form is based on a dodecahedron with blobs coming out of each vertex. I don’t imagine this was easy to make, but if you want to try one, observe how the cycles with five or seven beads are in places with positive or negative curvature, respectively.

More:
See all of George Hart’s Math Monday columns

What will the next generation of Make: look like? We’re inviting you to shape the future by investing in Make:. By becoming an investor, you help decide what’s next. The future of Make: is in your hands. Learn More.

Tagged

Gareth Branwyn is a freelance writer and the former Editorial Director of Maker Media. He is the author or editor of over a dozen books on technology, DIY, and geek culture. He is currently a contributor to Boing Boing, Wink Books, and Wink Fun. His free weekly-ish maker tips newsletter can be found at garstipsandtools.com.

View more articles by Gareth Branwyn
Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!

ADVERTISEMENT

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 16th iteration!

Prices Increase in....

Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds
FEEDBACK