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What is the best way to lace your shoes?

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Visit this site: http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038%2F420476a
Author:Burkard Polster, Nature
Description: "The two most popular ways to lace shoes have historically been to use 'criss-cross' or 'straight' lacing -- but are these the most efficient? Here we demonstrate mathematically that the shortest lacing is neither of these, but instead is a rarely used and unexpected type of lacing known as 'bowtie' lacing. However, the traditional favorite lacings are still the strongest." In this "brief communication" article from volume 420 of the journal Nature, Polster's investigation of lacing reveals that strange things can happen even in such a simple system. Download the article as a PDF, or read a "science update" report of the research which explains the phenomenon in layman's terms.
Levels: College, Research
Languages: English
Resource Types: Articles
Math Topics: Knot Theory

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