Here's something fun for a change, a honeybee riddle presented by TED-Ed.
Your brain might overheat if you try figuring this out on your own, but presenter Dan Finkel does it for us so we can be in awe of how it works. If you want to solve the riddle along with the video, pause it every time there is something to figure out. Otherwise you will see the answers quickly as it unfolds.
Here’s the scene:
Pretend you are a biologist on a mission to save the Apis Trifecta species from extinction.
The last 60 bees in this species are in your terrarium and you have created wire frames of the appropriate shape and size.
Now you must turn them into working beehives by filling each and every hex with wax.
Can you save the bees by creating newly producing hives?
Dan Finkel will show us how in this 5-minute long video:
This video teaches us a lot about mathematical thinking. It also shows us the power of the hexagonal pattern bees use to create the cells in their beehives. And most of all, it reminds us of how brainy honeybees are!
If you want to view a transcript of what Dan Finkel says in this video to review the process and the "math" just click here.
[Directed by Charlotte Arene, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Stephen LaRosa].