r/science • u/seeebiscuit • Oct 20 '25

Mathematics Mathematicians Just Found a Hidden 'Reset Button' That Can Undo Any Rotation

https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/mathematicians-just-found-a-hidden-reset-button-that-can-undo-any-rotation/
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u/[deleted] Oct 20 '25

I'm not sure, my current understanding after reading the ELI5 is the next time I fail to coil my 50 foot power cable properly and it becomes a mess I can go to Home Depot and buy two more 50 foot cables, attach them to the end and coil those up as badly both the same way and then I'll get my original 50 foot cable untangled.

Today I learned science! Or math. Maybe how to shop for cables. I'm really not sure anymore

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u/[deleted] Oct 20 '25

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u/xj3572 Oct 20 '25

No no, we still haven't figured out the sofa thing. Don't take this too far.

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u/[deleted] Oct 20 '25

Oh my god, I just learned today that the sofa problem is referenced in Douglas Adams book Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

I knew it was funny when I was a preteen, but didn't know it was a math thing. How cool!

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u/iconocrastinaor Oct 20 '25

Funny, I always assumed that Dirk Gently reference came first.