Image Source: Public Domain
We’ve all seen and probably tried to solve a Rubik’s cube. It is a 3D combination puzzle invented by Erno Rubik in 1974.
It is widely believed that he created the cube to understand 3D objects but his main purpose was to invent a mechanism of independently moving parts while maintaining the mechanism of the cube.
The cube gradually began being sold as a toy and was initially called The Magic Cube. Since then over 350 million Rubik’s Cube have been sold worldwide.
Initially Erno didn’t even realise that he had created a puzzle until he scrambled his cube for the first time and then tried to restore it. It took him over a month to solve his own puzzle.
Today, a machine can solve the cube in just over half a second whereas the shortest time for solving the cube by a human is 4.73 seconds.
Bonus Facts:
- The cube is made up of 26 miniature cubes, known as “cubies” or “cubelets”.
- A Rubik’s Cube has 43,252,003,274,489,856,000 possible configurations.
- Every legal permutation of the Rubik’s Cube can be solved in 20 moves or less.
- It can be estimated that less than 5.8% of the world's population can solve the Rubik's Cube.
That is amazing... the last I had heard the fastest human was able to solve one in around 10 seconds... there must have been some recent speedsters ;)
Yes, the record was only recently broken in December of 2016. I wonder how fast they can go, before it can't be any faster!
For sure. In fact it looks like this video was just posted in November.
That is amazing. My stepson brought one home a couple months ago... I can't even get 2 full sides matched up...
That one is now the second fastest. That record was beaten by just 0.01 seconds, just after a month in December. Here's the video:
That just blew my mind: "Every legal permutation of the Rubik’s Cube can be solved in 20 moves or less."
I'm still laughing. thanks a bunch for the sharing, especially since I had a Rubik's Cube and only solved it once, intuitively as I was on the phone and have never been able to do it again since then!?
Thanks for those pieces of history and namaste :)
Haha, I have NEVER solved one. I had one but I never even tried ;)
I was so fast when I was in my 20,s . Not anymore. My brain cells got lost for sure 🌵😱
You can still solve it fast if you keep practising. :D
You inspired me! I may get mine from the storage again.
Yes, it can certainly stimulate the brain cells ;)
Interesting facts!
thanks :)
LOL because I think if he never solve it, there would have been no market for it and ended up nobody knows he invented it.
Yeah, glad he did. It is a really great mental exercise.