Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Skydiver solves Rubik's Cube at 14,000ft

Ludwig Fichte: Skydiver solves Rubik's Cube at 14,000ftLudwig Fichte, 29, sat in a rubber dinghy after jumping from a plane while he completed the challenge.

He fell 5,900 in 31.5 seconds as he solved the puzzle before then deploying his parachute.

Fichte, from Dresden in Germany, said: "Solving the cube in freefall has been done before - but I am the first to do it in a rubber boat."

He hopes to improve upon his performance by solving two Rubik's Cube's in freefall before opening his parachute.

Earlier this month scientists discovered that it was possible to solve the Rubik's cube riddle in 20 moves.

Invented in 1974 by Professor Erno Rubik, the Rubik's cube was an instant success when it was first exported from Hungary in 1980, becoming the world's fastest-selling toy.

The 64-year-old reclusive Hungarian professor has since seen his cube achieve 350 million sales in the three decades since.

Still obtaining a cult following, almost 40,000 entries on YouTube feature tutorials and video clips of quick solutions.

Last year the 360, a new game from the Rubik's cube inventor went on sale.

via Skydiver solves Rubik's Cube at 14,000ft - Telegraph.

2 comments:

Sam said...

I know a dude who can solve a Rubik's Cube -- scrambled by any random person -- in thirty seconds, blindfolded. He never seemed especially talented or knowledgeable in any field whatsoever, so I've often wondered if he is some kind of a savant (that you obviously could never diagnose had the Rubik's Cube never been invented). I saw him do it, though. Even scrambled it myself for a period of three minutes. Boom -- thirty seconds later, he peeks out from under his blindfold at his solved cube. If anyone can explain to me how he could do that, I'm listening!

shan said...

its a case of probability! any direction you turn using the formula, gets the colors united. i guess with quite a wicked memory too.