Buzz
Cubes have earned their status as the rock stars of geometry. These incredible shapes are capable of delivering medicine, moving independently, and even facilitating human encounters with intelligent dinosaurs. (Be cautious, some may be a bit grumpy.)
In addition to being at the forefront of technology, cubes hold valuable secrets about the past. Some of the most captivating stories involve wartime mysteries and the surprisingly valid aspects of Plato’s wildest theory.
10. Seattle’s Enormous Ice Cube
During the 2016 Seattle Design Festival, architectural firm Olson Kundig sought to highlight their design prowess. Rather than creating something to rival the Eiffel Tower and boost their fame, the firm presented an unexpectedly humble creation—a giant ice cube, humorously deemed 'boring.'
The icy structure measured an impressive 2.1 meters (7 ft) tall and weighed in at 10 tons. Constructed in Occidental Square, the block was assembled by simply stacking ice bricks until the cube was completed.
It became a sensation. Throngs of selfie enthusiasts filled the square, while both everyday people and meteorologists wagered on how quickly the block would melt. Even NASA scientists crunched the numbers to estimate the cube’s lifespan, which turned out to be approximately a month.
9. This Cube Is Home to Intelligent Dinosaurs
In 2016, Queensland University welcomed dinosaur enthusiasts to enter a gigantic cube. This cube was aptly named The Cube. Its interactive touch screen walls showcased the movements of a Tyrannosaurus rex, nine other dinosaur species, and ancient reptiles. The realism of their movements, sizes, and appearances was unprecedented.
Visitors to The Cube had the opportunity to explore the latest research and even virtually excavate archaeological sites. The standout feature, however, was how the dinosaurs responded to the people around them. Not only could the creatures see visitors, but artificial intelligence enabled them to contemplate a person’s presence before deciding how to react.
Not all responses were friendly. In fact, organizers advised that young children be accompanied by an adult in case Quetzalcoatlus, the largest pterosaur ever known, decided to act out (which it did on occasion).
8. Every Rubik’s Cube Can Be Solved
The Rubik’s Cube is a classic brain teaser. Still, many players give up after just a few attempts. Some even toss it aside in frustration. With as many as 43 quintillion possible configurations, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the puzzle’s complexity.
Here’s the good news?
Any Rubik’s Cube can be solved in 20 moves or fewer. With the right speed, agility, and the ability to think ahead, anyone can solve even the most scrambled cube. In fact, in 2017, SeungBeom Cho set a new world record by solving a computer-scrambled Rubik’s Cube in just 4.59 seconds.
7. The Fastest Rubik’s Cube Record is Under Half a Second
Rubik’s Cube enthusiasm isn’t just for kids. (Recent record holders were mostly teenagers.) Engineers and roboticists have also joined the challenge. In 2018, a robot named the Rubik’s Contraption, created at MIT, completed the puzzle in a mere 0.38 seconds, outpacing human competitors by a wide margin.
The bot’s speed wasn’t its only impressive feature. Despite what you might expect, it didn’t rely on expensive, top-tier tech. Instead, the team sourced parts cheaply from eBay, repurposed PlayStation cameras, and created custom components. After integrating software to identify colors and sides, the robot solved the puzzle in just 21 moves.
6. The Nakagin Capsule Tower is a striking architectural achievement designed by Kisho Kurokawa in the early 1970s. When it was completed in 1972, Kurokawa hailed it as the dawn of a new era. Yet, the tower’s compact design and rapid construction might not appeal to those who prefer spacious living or slower-paced development.
In 1972, Kisho Kurokawa, excited by the completion of his design, saw the Nakagin Capsule Tower as a pioneering venture. He referred to it as a symbol of the future. However, the tower may not appeal to everyone, particularly those who appreciate room to spread out or builders who prefer a more deliberate approach.
Built in a remarkably brief 30 days, the tower’s apartments are tiny, stacked in cubes that rise up to 13 stories. Each unit is fastened with just four bolts to one of the two concrete cores, creating a modular and unconventional living space.
Initially, the capsules were intended to be replaced every 25 years, but this idea proved too expensive, and as a result, the cubes were never swapped out. Those who found the cramped spaces, tiny bathrooms, and deteriorating conditions unbearable eventually moved out. Nevertheless, a few residents still inhabit the building, which, from the outside, bears a striking resemblance to a pile of washing machines.
5. The Nazi Cubes are another example of unique yet controversial architectural designs, carrying a complex historical weight. These structures, shaped like cubes, have become a symbol of an era marked by division and conflict, sparking ongoing debate and reflection.
A few years back, a solid uranium cube made its way to the University of Maryland. It weighed 2.3 kilograms (5 lbs) and measured 5 centimeters (2 inches) on each side. A note attached to the cube stated that it had been taken from the nuclear reactor that Adolf Hitler had attempted to build. Upon further investigation, Maryland physicists uncovered how close the Nazi regime had come to developing its own nuclear program.
Throughout the 1940s, German laboratories produced numerous cubes like this, as countries raced to harness the power of the atom. A few of these blocks were located, but they were composed of harmless uranium, which had little practical use as a weapon—unless, of course, it was thrown at someone's head. To reach the next level, the researchers were missing a crucial element.
That missing element was nothing more than collaboration. If the laboratories had worked together, they could have combined their strengths to develop a functional nuclear program. Instead, they acted as rivals.
Germany's loss in World War II effectively put an end to their nuclear ambitions. However, had the scientists collaborated, their progress could have accelerated, potentially altering the course of history. The world today might have been vastly different.
4. Tiny Cubes for Medicine Delivery
The future of healthcare is packed with small-scale innovations. A prime example comes from Johns Hopkins University. In 2005, they developed metallic cubes that could self-assemble during their creation. However, what truly makes these cubes valuable is their ability to store and release medication within a patient's body.
Although the idea of injecting metal cubes into someone may seem alarming, their tiny size makes them relatively safe. These cubes are no larger than a speck of dust, yet they come with six sides, hinges, and are coated in a thin layer of gold.
Once this groundbreaking treatment is available, implants filled with these cubes will be used to address a variety of conditions, from diseases and disorders to injuries. A trigger, potentially activated by a remote-controlled frequency, will instruct the cubes when to release the medication.
3. The Earth Is Composed of Cubes
In the 5th century BC, Plato proposed that the universe was made of five elements—air, water, earth, fire, and cosmos. He assigned each element a specific geometric shape. The shape for earth was a cube. Even more fascinating, he claimed that the world itself was constructed from cubes.
While modern science confirms that the Earth is a sphere, Plato exhibited an uncanny understanding of something that researchers have only recently stumbled upon. Inspired by Plato’s theory of a cube-shaped world, scientists from the University of Pennsylvania decided to examine rocks. To their astonishment, they discovered that the typical shape of rocks, whether they were blasted apart or naturally broken, is the cube.
Plato’s expertise in geometry is undisputed, yet it’s almost unsettling that over 1,000 years ago, he accurately described Earth as being predominantly made up of cubes.
2. A Cube Measured the Strength of a Marvel Villain
Thanos is among the most formidable villains in the Marvel universe. Back in 2018, a professor from Northeastern University wanted to quantify the immense strength of the purple terror. To do this, Steven Cranford needed an innovative way to assess Thanos’s physical power, and he found his answer in the Marvel film Avengers: Infinity War, where Thanos crushes a cube called the Tesseract.
While the Tesseract is a fictional object, the concept of tesseracts is very real. A tesseract is a four-dimensional geometric shape, where a cube exists at the center of another cube. To recreate it, Cranford had to construct his own versions, but since building such a shape in reality is nearly impossible, he used specialized software to generate several 4D cubes, assembling them atom by atom.
After experimenting with various materials and sizes, Cranford ultimately chose a carbon-based model. Upon testing the strength of this replica, the result was staggering: Thanos would need to exert a force of 42,000 tons to crush the fictional Tesseract. For perspective, Thanos could lift the RMS Titanic as effortlessly as the Avengers lift their teacups.
1. An Intelligent Swarm of Cubes
In 2019, MIT released a captivating video for the public. The footage showcased small cubes that seemed to have minds of their own. These blocks moved autonomously, rolling or leaping toward their targets. They searched for specific partners to bond with and used each other like bricks to create structures. The cubes even followed light sources.
The robots are named M-Blocks 2.0. Each one contains a fast-spinning flywheel at its core. On their surfaces, barcodes and magnets enable the blocks to recognize each other. This allows them to spin through the air, shuffle about, and stack on top of each other to construct whatever the program directs them to build.
However, these are not your average Lego blocks. In the future, M-Blocks could play a role in saving lives. For instance, they could link together to form a bridge, allowing stranded individuals to climb to safety.
