mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
One of our readers, Robert, left an amusing comment on Will’s cool puzzle post this morning, reminding us that we needed to keep the answers of our quizzes out of our jpegs. In addition to making me smile, the comment gave me an idea for a new feature called “Found Objects,” which I’ll try out here.
The idea is pretty simple: I’ll be posting some sort of visual representation of an object, equation, theory or idea that inspired or made its way into a book, film, song, poem, or painting. Your job is to name it and tell us where it’s found.
Today’s visual, found below, is referenced in a couple different novels. Can you name it, and at least one of the works I’m referring to?
Comments (5)
Comment
It looks like the 2-D representation of a hypercube. Possibly mentioned in Abbott’s Flatland, and definitely in Madeline L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time (where it’s called a tesseract).
posted by Rachel on 9-29-2006 at 4:40 pm
that’s it!
anyone know any other novels featuring the tesseract/hypercube?
posted by David on 9-29-2006 at 5:40 pm
And He Built a Crooked House, Robert Heinlein
posted by Chris Armour on 9-29-2006 at 11:23 pm
Tesseract, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle
posted by John on 10-2-2006 at 12:37 pm
the octagon
the cube
the circle
posted by Steve on 10-2-2006 at 3:22 pm