Can Adam Savage Build a Hexastix?

Back visiting Adam in the cave is Matt Parker of @standupmaths and @numberphile, this time with a challenge to build a structure known as a Hexastix using just 72 standard pencils! Here's why this shape is so beautiful, and Matt's color-coded approach to building this model to show off its geometric properties.

Shot and edited by Joey Fameli
Music by Jinglepunks

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Intro bumper by Abe Dieckman

Thanks for watching!

#adamsavage #maths

[TheRantinghick]

I give it 6 months before Adam is making giant pencils to make giant shapes

[dfgaJK]

These two work so well on camera together. Not scripted yet well-spoken banter interspliced with information and food for thought, all while keeping it concise and entertaining!

[craiggersify]

You can tell Adam’s a pro by how often his model is perfectly aligned with the camera

[lauramaeda]

Love when Adam says “this feels so good in my brain” because my non mathematical brain is still processing how all of this structure is possible.

[eirikmellesdal]

"When production evolved from hand-crafted to machine-made, manufacturers began cutting pencils from wood slats. The number of pencils they could produce varied on the shape. “They found by having a hexagonal shape, you could get an extra pencil out of a standard width of slat, ” said Berolzheimer." - Somewhere on the internet

[iamdarkyoshi]

If I ever need to get sensitive data from Matt, I'm locking him in a room with 71 pencils

[henryyoung]

10:06 that’s the most mathematically sound thing I’ve ever heard: “listen to the pencils”

[danoconnell]

Matt: "Obvious not in the everyday sense but obvious in the mathematical sense."
Adam: "Sure."

[TheToyman]

There are very few things in this world that make me happier than seeing Matt Parker and Adam Savage together. Always love these collaberations between two brilliant men who have done so much to enlighten my life over the past few decades.

[Rubrickety]

“Start building it, and keep building it, and then you’re done.” An explanation Anne Elk would be proud of.

[AscendDynamics]

"Honey... How many pencils to we have?"

[Mr-G]

Adams joy at 14:09 is one of those many little "ah-ha"moments we all just absolutely live for.

[WG]

4:18 "I really appreciate your commitment to Sparkle Motion on this one." Nice _Donnie Darko_ reference!

[CinnibarNet]

Pencils are not cut out from a board in a hexagon shape. The wood is cut into (roughly) trapezoid shapes as halves, grooved, and then assembled. Angled cuts into trapezoids wastes less wood than if you were cutting semicircles

[ganymedemlem]

Saw it was a hexastix in the thumbnail and immediately knew Matt Parker would be in it.

[db_]

Adam and Matt have a great energy together, similar to Adam and Michael from VSauce!

[zakuraayame]

I will always wish for you to schedule more time with Matt. You have more fun. Your excitement, joy, discovery, etc. is healing. Matt is always a welcome visitor and if you like Maths, has a great couple channels (a sort of behind the scenes to standupmaths, mattparker2).
Any time I see people excited about learning and discovery, it brings joy to the heart. Thank you for this, came in some rough times and greatly appreciated.

[cabdriver]

Would be cool to glue it together, only to saw one in half to see in the middle

[El-Burrito]

Just the noise of the pencils sliding against each other as you slot them in and out and building it bigger and bigger sounds really nice lol

[MegaOoga]

watching this with a big smile on my face as I look over at the one I made a few years ago after watching Matt make one in some hotel room.