James Coykendall will present the next Science Café on Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Babb’s Coffee House, 604 Main Ave., Fargo. The professor of mathematics will lead the discussion titled “Solving the Rubik’s Cube: Does Math Help?”
Erno Rubik, a sculptor and professor of architecture, created the Rubik's Cube in 1974. Coykendall says that the cube’s origin was not a puzzle. It started out as an engineering design problem.
Between 1980 and 2005, it is estimated that more than 300 million Rubik's cubes have been sold, making it one of the most popular puzzles of all time. According to Coykendall, the solution to solving a scrambled cube (without taking it apart or removing the stickers) is the stuff of legend.
The Science Café is sponsored by the College of Science and Mathematics. It is an event that involves face-to-face conversation with a scientist about current science topics. They are open to the community and take place in casual settings like pubs or coffee houses.
If you have any questions, contact Keri Drinka at 1-6131 or keri.drinka@ndsu.edu.