If Satan plays miniature golf, this is his favorite hole. A ball struck at A, in any direction, will never find the hole at B — even if it bounces forever.
The idea arose in the 1950s, when Ernst Straus wondered whether a room lined with mirrors would always be illuminated completely by a single match.
Straus’ question went unanswered until 1995, when George Tokarsky found a 26-sided room with a “dark” spot; two years later D. Castro offered the 24-sided improvement bellow. If a candle is placed at A, and you’re standing at B, you won’t see its reflection anywhere around you — even though you’re surrounded by mirrors.
Source and further reading:
http://mathworld.wolfram.com/IlluminationProblem.html
Image via Wikimdia Commons
Gibt's dazu eine cohort Computersimulation des Lichtstrahls in einigen Startrichtungen?
ReplyDeleteVery interesting, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure there is a computer simulation somewhere Fabian Röling .
ReplyDeleteWolfram has a computer simulation but for the 26-Sided Unilluminable Room.
http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/The26SidedUnilluminableRoom/
That's negative ;)
ReplyDelete