The wonderful English mathematician Sir Roger Penrose recently jointly won the Nobel Prize for Physics (2020) for his work on Black Holes, proving that Black Holes are a prediction of the theory of General Relativity. He is also famous for his work with impossible shapes, Penrose tiling, and the connection between Physics and Consciousness.
Below are some activities based on Penrose’s research that can be used with students:
- For KS3 or KS4 students: This activity details how to construct the Penrose Triangle (also known as the impossible triangle) on isometric paper. It can be extended to further impossible shapes, such as the impossible rectangle or blivet (also known as the impossible trident).
- For KS5 students: You can view several short interviews with Sir Roger Penrose, where he speaks on mathematical truth, beauty, and reductionism. The interviews are ideal for students who are writing personal statements for university, particularly those applying for maths and philosophy degrees.