
Abraham Kuyper
Prime Minister of the Netherlands (1837-1920)
Erno Rubikis a Hungarian inventor, widely known for creating the Rubik’s Cube (1974), Rubik’s Magic, Rubik’s Magic: Master Edition, and Rubik’s Snake.
While Rubik became famous for inventing the Rubik’s Cube and his other puzzles, much of his recent work involves the promotion of science in education.
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Erno Rubikis a Hungarian inventor, widely known for creating the Rubik’s Cube (1974), Rubik’s Magic, Rubik’s Magic: Master Edition, and Rubik’s Snake.
While Rubik became famous for inventing the Rubik’s Cube and his other puzzles, much of his recent work involves the promotion of science in education. Rubik is involved with several organizations such as Beyond Rubik’s Cube, the Rubik Learning Initiative and the Judit Polgar Foundation, all of which aim to engage students in science, mathematics, and problem solving at a young age.
Rubik studied sculpture at the Academy of Applied Arts and Design in Budapest and architecture at the Technical University, also in Budapest. While a professor of design at the academy, he pursued his hobby of building geometric models. One of these was a prototype of his cube, made of 27 wooden blocks; it took Rubik a month to solve the problem of the cube. It proved a useful tool for teaching algebraic group theory, and in late 1977 Konsumex, Hungary’s state trading company, began marketing it. By 1980 Rubik’s Cube was marketed throughout the world, and over 100 million authorized units, with an estimated 50 million unauthorized imitations, were sold, mostly during its subsequent three years of popularity. Approximately 50 books were published describing how to solve the puzzle of Rubik’s Cube. Following his cube’s popularity, Rubik opened a studio to develop designs in 1984; among its products was another popular puzzle toy, Rubik’s Magic.
Once I completed the Cube and demonstrated it to my students, I realized it was nearly impossible to put down.
Hungarian inventor
And, not only in Budapest. I worked very closely with a very powerful government organization, which shall remain unidentified, to develop the mass marketed version of the Cube.
Hungarian inventor
The problems of puzzles are very near the problems of life.
Hungarian inventor
But for me, it was a code I myself had invented! Yet I could not read it.
Hungarian inventor
Our whole life is solving puzzles.
Hungarian inventor
I was somewhat out of place among my classmates; I could not be as bohemian as they were.
Hungarian inventor
I do not truly consider myself an icon, but the Cube has been quite successful.
Hungarian inventor
Yes, but with the Cube there are many flashes, there are many aha’s.
Hungarian inventor
Now, after the Cube, I still don’t have any plans to make anything like it.
Hungarian inventor
But thanks to my invention, my capitalist friends and I were able to bring the government to its knees.
Hungarian inventor
I did not plan to make the Cube.
Hungarian inventor
Like after a nice walk when you have seen many lovely sights you decide to go home, after a while I decided it was time to go home, let us put the cubes back in order. And it was at that moment that I came face to face with the Big Challenge: What is the way home?
Hungarian inventor
It was tremendously satisfying to watch this color parade.
Hungarian inventor
I wanted nothing else than to make the object as perfect as possible.
Hungarian inventor
Usually we are saying only part of the truth.
Hungarian inventor
We turn the Cube and it twists us.
Hungarian inventor
The Cube is an imitation of life itself – or even an improvement on life.
Hungarian inventor
The Cube can seem alive as it heats up in your hand. The fact that each face of the Cube is made of three layers of three blocks has an important meaning.
Hungarian inventor
I’ve always been passionate about geometry and the study of three-dimensional forms.
Hungarian inventor
In my teaching, I enjoyed creating models to clearly communicate my thoughts.
Hungarian inventor
I want to try to keep my life the same.
Hungarian inventor
This was such an extraordinary situation that I simply could not accept it.
Hungarian inventor
A good puzzle, it’s a fair thing. Nobody is lying. It’s very clear, and the problem depends just on you.
Hungarian inventor
I’m still the same person, thinking the same way, so it’s possible I will invent something.
Hungarian inventor