Geometry Seminar

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Unfolding Polyhedra and Polytopes

Speaker: Satyan Devadoss, University of San Diego

Location: Online

Date: Tuesday, May 5, 2026, 2 p.m.

Synopsis:

We explore a geometric mystery whose origins date back 500 years to the Renaissance master Albrecht Dürer, who unfolded polyhedra by cutting them open and laying them flat. About a decade ago, it was algorithmically shown that every unfolding of the Platonic solids is without self-overlap, yielding a valid net. We discuss the state-of-the-art for polyhedra and consider unfolding regular polytopes in higher dimensions, proving what works and puzzling over what doesn’t. This talk is heavily infused with visual imagery, with access to several unsolved problems.

Notes:

On Zoom.  Please contact Boris Aronov to be put on the email announcement list and obtain Zoom details.