Mailbag: Dinner guests from science history

Tucked away in old engineering kits and museum drawers is a device whose sweeping motion once captivated mathematicians and designers alike. 

The ellipsograph: a mechanical tool built from sliding arms and rotating joints that were tracing flawless curves long before computers made such things effortless.

While they have the appearance of an ancient curiosity, the ellipsograph’s power lies in its ability to transform abstract geometry into tangible motion on a page. Its careful movement can physically enacts the strict mathematical conditions that define an ellipsis - a shape that’s central to geometry, but also to the natural order of the cosmos.

So is this object just a relic of the past? Or does it have a place in the present? As a reminder of the deceptive simplicity that rules the world around us, and the ingenuity required to understand it.

Welcome to The Rest Is Science: Field Notes.

Each Thursday, Hannah and Michael rummage through their personal troves of scientific treasure to source objects that expand our understanding the universe, that scramble our brains, that hint at forces we’ll never see...and, that are sometimes, just plain old cool.

Expect deep dives into the science behind each pick, the spark that grabbed their attentions, and the sheer delight they get from sharing it all with you.

They’ll also be tackling your questions, so email The Rest Is Science at therestisscience@goalhanger.com.

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Find The Rest Is Science all over the internet by ⁠clicking here.⁠

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Video Producer: Oli Oakley

Video & Social: Bex Tyrrell

Assistant Producer: Imee Marriott

Producer: Becki Hills

Senior Producer: Lauren Armstrong-Carter

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Exec Producer: Neil Fearn

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