A long-standing shape mystery has finally been solvedIllustration of shape shifting polygons. Emil WikströmAbout a decade ago Tonan Kamata, now a mathematician at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST), stood mesmerized in front of a math museum’s origamilike exhibit. It featured a triangular tile cut into four pieces that were connected by tiny hinges. With a simple swivel, the pieces spun around to transform the triangle into a square.The exhibit traces its origin to a ...