Dominoes are a popular game for kids that can teach them the concept of cause and effect. They also can learn about patterns and colors when lining up dominoes in long rows. Some people are so skilled at using dominoes that they create mind-blowing designs. Today’s Wonder of the Day is about a type of domino design called a rainbow spiral.
Most of us have played with dominoes as children, lining them up in long lines and then flicking the first one over to watch it tumble down all the way to the end. This simple action can lead to complex structures like a Rainbow Spiral, as seen below, built by Lily Hevesh in 2017 using 12,000 dominoes.
Hevesh began playing with dominoes as a child when her grandparents gave her the classic 28-piece set. She loved the feeling of a small movement leading to an entire line of dominoes falling over. She now works as a professional domino artist and has created some mind-blowing setups for movies, TV shows and events. Her YouTube channel, Hevesh5, has more than 2 million subscribers.
Dominos are flat, thumbsized blocks that have either a blank face or one displaying from one to six dots or spots. A domino is normally twice as long as it is wide, which helps to differentiate it from other flat gaming pieces such as dice or cards. Each domino has a number of dots or pips that indicate its value, and the total value of all the dots is commonly referred to as its rank. A domino that has more pips than its opponent is considered to be a higher ranking domino and is said to have more power.
When a domino is tipped over, much of its potential energy is converted to kinetic energy, or the energy of motion. This energy then passes to the next domino in the row, pushing it over as well. The process continues for each domino in the row until the last one falls, completing the chain reaction known as the Domino Effect.
Many learning challenges impact students in similar ways to dominoes falling. The joy of a single action triggering the fall of a whole line is mesmerizing, but it can be frustrating for students when that small victory comes too late. Compensating for a learning difference is like putting in a domino, but it often can have the same effect of preventing a student from developing basic skills needed to be successful.
As the CEO of Domino’s Pizza, Don Meij demonstrates in the show Undercover Boss, Domino’s success relies on a solid leadership structure that focuses on providing employees with the tools they need to succeed. This includes a strong emphasis on technology, which is why half of the company’s workers are devoted to software analytics. As more and more of us choose to order our food via apps, websites or by texting emojis, Domino’s is staying ahead of the curve with new and innovative delivery options.