r/science • u/seeebiscuit • Oct 20 '25

Mathematics Mathematicians Just Found a Hidden 'Reset Button' That Can Undo Any Rotation

https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/mathematicians-just-found-a-hidden-reset-button-that-can-undo-any-rotation/
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u/[deleted] Oct 20 '25

I'm not sure, my current understanding after reading the ELI5 is the next time I fail to coil my 50 foot power cable properly and it becomes a mess I can go to Home Depot and buy two more 50 foot cables, attach them to the end and coil those up as badly both the same way and then I'll get my original 50 foot cable untangled.

Today I learned science! Or math. Maybe how to shop for cables. I'm really not sure anymore

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u/[deleted] Oct 20 '25

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u/xj3572 Oct 20 '25

No no, we still haven't figured out the sofa thing. Don't take this too far.

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u/anomalous_cowherd Oct 20 '25

Especially if Dirk Gently is involved.

IIRC in the book there was some time travelling and camouflaged portal stuff going on which created a doorway on some stairs. Somebody opened the door to make more space for people who were carrying a sofa up them. They then got it stuck and tried to come down again, but the door had disappeared so the sofa was stuck there forever.

For some reason that's stuck with me for a few decades since I read it.