The Hoberman Switch Pitch Throwing Ball is a $12 toy that instantiates a dual polyhedron: every time you throw it, it turns inside-out; there's a wealth of scientific literature that explains how this works, including this open-access paper from the Journal of the International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures. Here's JWZ's summary: "The curved body panels that make it look like a sphere hide an internal structure that is a cube; or really, two tetrahedrons embedded in a cube; and when it its its activation energy, the tetrahedron becomes its dual, swapping faces and vertices."
A ball that inverts and changes color when it is midair, and the scientific literature that explains it
- COMMENTS
- Boing Boing Gadgets
- Games
- geometry
- gift guide
- happy mutants
- scholarship
- toys
Kagen Sound's incredibly intricate puzzle boxes
Kagen Sound is an award-winning woodworker and artist who makes remarkably detailed puzzle boxes out of wood. The puzzle boxes must be solved in order for the lid to be… READ THE REST
The 9 Levels of Pickpocketing explained by a magician
Learn about a magician Ben Seidman's 9 Levels of Pickpocketing from easy to complex. (Seidman only ever picks pockets as part of his magic act, and never actually takes anyone's… READ THE REST
The imagined voices of baby octopi playing
The audio effects added to this video of baby octopi playing makes me so happy. Baby octopi are already adorable, and this added audio just makes watching them swim around… READ THE REST
Save $169 on a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro and never look back
TL;DR: Revamp your digital world with this incredible lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro, with its seamless interface and top-notch security, for only $29.97 (Reg. $199) until 11:59 PM on 1/07.… READ THE REST
Upgrade your tech for the new year with this refurbished iPad Pro, less than half price right now
TL;DR: Save over $350 on a refurbished Apple iPad Pro 10.5" 256GB, plus a free accessories bundle, with this sweet deal on sale for just $315.99 right now. Tech fans, it's time… READ THE REST
Make your rockstar dreams a reality for only $15.97 with this Guitar Lessons Training Bundle
TL;DR: The perfect last-minute holiday gift for an aspiring rocker, the 2024 Guitar Lessons Training Bundle is only $15.97 (Reg. $480) until 11:59 PM on 12/25. It's really never too late to make… READ THE REST