Call the six-sided Rubikās Cube puzzle a ātoyā at your own risk: ErnÅ Rubik, the Hungarian whoĀ invented it in 1974, prefers to think of it as a piece of art. If so, the 350 million-plus cubes sold over the past 40 years might make it one of the most recognizable creative works in history. Check out some facts about its origins, the bizarre cartoon adaptation, and why Will Smith probably deserves royalties.
1. IT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED THE MAGIC CUBE.
In 1974, 30-year-old ErnÅ Rubik was a professor of architecture in Hungary when he had the idea of constructing a handheld puzzle game based on geometry that could help students understand spatial relations. The first prototypes made of wood blocks and paper clips were encouraging; pairing with a toymaker in Hungary, Rubik saw his original Magic Cube get modest distribution. In 1980, when the Cube was licensed by Ideal Toy Company, developers changed the name to Rubikās Cube; they felt āMagic Cubeā invoked ideas about witchcraft.