Mathematicians reveal that they have constructed a new dimension-defying shape.
The shape is based on the Reuleaux triangle, which has been used for centuries and is formed by three interlocking circles. In two dimensions, the Reuleaux triangle is an equilateral triangle with curved arcs connecting each corner, creating a shape with a constant width but a smaller area than a circle.
Now, a team of mathematicians say they’ve scaled up the shape into the third dimension and beyond, finding it resolves a math problem that’s been a bit of a head-scratcher for over 30 years.
In 3D, their new creation that can roll like a wheel despite not being round. Interestingly, the width of the shape - which has yet to be named - remains constant even when the dimensions are changed.
“The most amazing thing is that [the] volume of each shape is easily computable,” study co-author Andriy Bondarenko told Gizmodo. “So we can compare n-volume of the shape with the n-volume of unit ball and see mathematically rigorously that volumes of our shapes are exponentially smaller.”