Show Notes

450 million Rubik’s Cubes have sold worldwide. Meaning, a Rubik’s Cube has been handled by 1 in 7 humans on planet earth. The colourful toy has inspired people in the arts, in mathematics, in engineering and pop culture. But when inventor Ernő Rubik first started showcasing his creation at toy fairs, he was rejected – by toy companies, distributors and investors. Told it was “too niche.” Then, once it finally made its way into stores and millions of homes across the globe, the New York Times declared the Rubik’s Cube dead.

It’s a story full of twists and turns.

Major sources for this episode include:
1) Cubed: The Puzzle of Us All by Ernö Rubik
2) The New York Times: He Invented The Rubik’s Cube. He’s Still Learning From It.
3) Profit Magazin: Erno Rubik
4) New York Times: Rubik’s Cube: A Craze Ends

From the creators of Under the Influence:
Executive Producer & Co-Host: Terry O’Reilly
Writer & Host: Sidney O’Reilly
Research: Allison Pinches
Director: Callie O’Reilly
Supervising Producer: Debbie O’Reilly
Engineer: Geoff Devine
Theme music: Ian Lefeuvre & Ari Posner

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