How To: Build simple geometric 3D structures

Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski provides a brief overview of Buckminister "Bucky" Fuller's accomplishments in this video tutorial.

The emphasis is placed on Fuller's use of geometry in his inventions and his observations of patterns in nature (geometry). Dr. Diana demonstrates how to make 3-D structures out of simple materials that are submerged in a soap solution to illustrate the minimum surface area phenomena.

To do this science experiment, you'll need garbanzo beans (chickpeas) and tooth picks. You will end up dipping these 3-dimensional geometric structures that you built into a bubble solution, made of liquid soap, water, and Karo Syrup (or glycerine or sugar) to slow down the rate of evaporation.