The cup of greed or Pythagoras' joke (4 photos + 2 videos)
Pythagoras was one of the greatest thinkers of his time and one of the greatest mathematicians in history. And he, apparently, had everything in order with a sense of humor, because only a genius and a merry fellow could create such a mug.
What is it actually about?
Who said mathematicians don't have a sense of humor? Pythagoras, apparently, had it exactly, because otherwise a person would not have been able to come up with such a brilliant thing as this mug. Today this intricate vessel is known as the “Cup of Justice”, “Mug of Greed”, “Pythagorean Cup”. At first glance, this is a fairly ordinary goblet, and only an incomprehensible protrusion in the center makes you wonder what the vessel actually is.
Today, the Pythagorean mug is the greatest prank that could ever be invented. The whole point is that if you pour liquid into it quite greedily (for example, to the brim), the vessel will “carefully” pour out all the contents to the greatest frustration of the hungry person. What's the secret?
Operating principle
In fact, the structure of the Greed Mug is very simple. From the outside it is an ordinary drinking vessel, but inside the mug is designed like a siphon. There is a recess in the center of the bowl, and hidden inside it is a curved double channel with both ends down. In this case, one of the sides of the channel passes through the bottom.
The mug works according to the law of communicating vessels. As long as the liquid is poured into the vessel no higher than the bend of the channel, the bowl can be used for its intended purpose. However, if you pour more than is allowed, the vessel will be completely empty. It will also ruin your shoes.
History of appearance
How exactly the mug appeared is unknown. Some claim that it was made by Pythagoras for slaves on Samos, where there was little water. This is a very dubious version. Others claim that Pythagoras created the cup for his friends who were constantly drinking alcohol. What is known is that the mug appeared somewhere in the 6th century BC, in fact, when the great mathematician lived. Today such mugs are sold in Greece as souvenirs.
Visual material
How to make a Pythagorean bowl
