Beyond Euclid #178
Welcome to Beyond Euclid #178, 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.
Some creatures don’t just live—they express. Take cats, for example.
I don’t think their massive fanbase is just about cuteness—it’s about the way every movement they make carries a kind of elegance. A cat doesn’t just walk out the door. It tilts its head, lifts its tail, and glides through with the grace of an invisible S-curve. When it leaves your lap, it doesn’t hop—it springs, arches, and almost takes off.
When it sniffs something, it doesn't just use its nose—it extends its whole body forward. Even when there’s no prey in sight, it walks on tiptoe like it’s stalking a ghost. During grooming, it’s never random. It’s symmetrical, deliberate, and rhythmically precise. When it stretches its hind leg over its head to clean, it looks like it’s striking the fourth position in classical ballet.
And all of this elegance... usually comes wrapped in a body that looks like it’s about to roll off the couch.
Watching a cat isn’t just watching an animal—it’s like watching a slow, wordless performan…