Wonder of the Day: Domino
Dominoes are a familiar sight in homes and schools, where children line them up in rows and then knock them over. They are also used for games and other projects, such as building structures out of cardboard. Today’s Wonder of the Day takes a closer look at domino and some of the amazing things that can be done with it.
A domino is a flat, thumb-sized rectangular block, with one side bearing an arrangement of dots or pips, like those on a die, and the other blank or identically patterned. The number of pips on either side determines the value of the domino. 28 such pieces form a complete set. The term can also refer to any of the various games played with them, in which dominoes are laid down in lines and angular patterns to score points.
Hevesh is a professional domino artist, and she has worked on projects that involved hundreds of thousands of dominoes. She has even helped to set a Guinness world record by creating a circular domino display. When she creates her mind-blowing domino installations, she begins by considering a theme or purpose. Then, she brainstorms images or words that might relate to that theme. She then tests different versions of her designs, making sure they work.
Most dominoes are made of plastic or polymer, but they can be made from a variety of other materials as well. Natural-material domino sets are often more expensive, but they may have a more novel or traditional look. They can also feel heavier and have a more substantial feeling than polymer dominoes. Natural-material dominoes may be crafted from bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or a dark wood such as ebony, with contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted on them.
During the game of domino, each player must attempt to play one of their dominoes by placing it next to another domino with matching values on its ends. If the first domino has any remaining pips, they are then shared by the other players, who try to match them with their own dominoes. When the first player’s domino reaches its tipping point, the potential energy that it stored converts to kinetic energy and gives the other dominoes the push they need to fall over. The process continues until the last domino falls.
The word “domino” derives from the Latin for a large, hooded cloak with a mask worn at masquerades. The earlier sense of the word denoted a long cape worn over a priest’s surplice. Domino later also came to mean a card game designed to circumvent religious prohibitions against playing cards. In the United States, the name is sometimes shortened to simply dominoes. The company that makes these popular toys has a unique corporate culture, centered around one core value: championing our customers. How does this philosophy translate into real-world business practices? Read on to learn more about this exciting company.
Dominoes are a familiar sight in homes and schools, where children line them up in rows and then knock them over. They are also used for games and other projects, such as building structures out of cardboard. Today’s Wonder of the Day takes a closer look at domino and some of the amazing things that can be done with it. A domino is a flat, thumb-sized rectangular block, with one side bearing an arrangement of dots or pips, like those on a die, and the other blank or identically patterned. The number of pips on either side determines the value of the domino. 28 such pieces form a complete set. The term can also refer to any of the various games played with them, in which dominoes are laid down in lines and angular patterns to score points. Hevesh is a professional domino artist, and she has worked on projects that involved hundreds of thousands of dominoes. She has even helped to set a Guinness world record by creating a circular domino display. When she creates her mind-blowing domino installations, she begins by considering a theme or purpose. Then, she brainstorms images or words that might relate to that theme. She then tests different versions of her designs, making sure they work. Most dominoes are made of plastic or polymer, but they can be made from a variety of other materials as well. Natural-material domino sets are often more expensive, but they may have a more novel or traditional look. They can also feel heavier and have a more substantial feeling than polymer dominoes. Natural-material dominoes may be crafted from bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or a dark wood such as ebony, with contrasting black or white pips inlaid or painted on them. During the game of domino, each player must attempt to play one of their dominoes by placing it next to another domino with matching values on its ends. If the first domino has any remaining pips, they are then shared by the other players, who try to match them with their own dominoes. When the first player’s domino reaches its tipping point, the potential energy that it stored converts to kinetic energy and gives the other dominoes the push they need to fall over. The process continues until the last domino falls. The word “domino” derives from the Latin for a large, hooded cloak with a mask worn at masquerades. The earlier sense of the word denoted a long cape worn over a priest’s surplice. Domino later also came to mean a card game designed to circumvent religious prohibitions against playing cards. In the United States, the name is sometimes shortened to simply dominoes. The company that makes these popular toys has a unique corporate culture, centered around one core value: championing our customers. How does this philosophy translate into real-world business practices? Read on to learn more about this exciting company.