Beyond Euclid #176

Welcome to Beyond Euclid #176, the newsletter for the best mathematics and science stuff of the week. I am Ali, and I curate cool math and science stuff every week to help you have a better week.

Hello & happy Tuesday! This week, I visited a friend who’s been living in the same apartment for five years. We were talking about hanging something on the wall and he casually said, “I don’t have a drill.” I thought he was joking. He wasn’t. That apartment has existed for five full years without a single wall anchor being installed.

This world cannot go on like this. We are witnessing the rise of a generation that has never held a wrench, never touched a tube of silicone, and thinks a toggle bolt is an NFT. And I’m not just worried — I’m offended.

Personally, I fix things. If the disposer clogs, I open it. When spring hits, I build a raised bed in the garden. If my kid’s watch stops working, I crack it open and bring it back. If the pantry needs new shelves, I head to the lumber yard, cut the boards to size, and install them properly. This isn’t a skill — it’s a matter of basic human dignity. People who can fix things are loved. People who fix things understand what it means to break.

S…