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Happy birthday, Rubik’s Cube!

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The Rubik’s Cube is celebrating its 30th birthday this year!

In 1980, the Cube was introduced to America at a Hollywood event by Hungarian film star Zsa Zsa Gabor – the same year Ronald Reagan became president, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back raked in the biggest box office gross, Post-It Notes launched along with the Sony Walkman, and (ahem) the year I was born. Nearly one in every five people in the world has twisted, jumbled and enjoyed this immensely popular puzzle.

I have to admit I’ve never been able to solve a Rubik’s Cube. I adore a good puzzle, but this one always leaves me stumped! My husband, on the other hand, loves it. I bought him a Rubik’s Icon Cube at Barnes & Noble a few years back and he displays it proudly on his desk. Instead of the traditional bright colors, the Icon Cube features shades of black, silver and white and sits in its own little stand. Very sleek.

What’s new?
It’s no secret that the U.S. is falling behind in math and science. American students rank 21st in science and 25th in math compared with students around the world, putting us at a disadvantage.

Today the Rubik’s Cube is being used to teach important math concepts including area, perimeter, volume, angles, algorithms and enumeration, among many other geometry and algebra topics. The new “You CAN Do The Rubik’s Cube” program is designed to get the country’s youth engaged in math and science in a fun way!

What can you do?

  • Youth: The new You CAN Do The Rubik’s Cube website features a downloadable step-by-step solution guide for unlocking the secrets to the 3×3 Rubik’s Cube. Online cube communities on Facebook, YouTube, and YouCanDoTheCube.com allow participants to share Rubik’s Cube experiences!
  • Educators: Lesson plans with a math twist show teachers and youth leaders how to use the Rubik’s Cube as a memorization, sequencing, and problem solving tool. The You CAN Do The Rubik’s Cube solution guide and lesson plans have been designed to help educators engage youth with hands-on education activities and are aligned with standards set by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills.
  • Parents: After-school and weekend Rubik’s activities foster life lessons such as problem-solving, negotiation, and teamwork, and provide an interactive, tangible way for youth to learn fundamental math disciplines like fractions and measurement.

With the help of this new initiative, thousands of youths from schools, camps and after-school programs nationwide are accomplishing the unthinkable – solving the cube one fun twist at a time, while learning about algebra, geometry, and determination! For more information, and to learn how to bring the “You CAN Do The Rubik’s Cube” program to a local school or youth organization, visit YouCanDoTheCube.com.

WIN IT!
Three lucky readers will learn how to solve the world’s most famous puzzle! To enter to win a Rubik’s Cube along with a solution guide, please leave a comment telling me what you were up to in 1980. If you weren’t born yet, that’s okay! Me? I was in my mother’s womb for half that year, then had to evacuate our home in Corpus Christi due to the wrath of Hurricane Allen. Not that I remember, but I’ve been told. 😉

For extra entries:

  • Subscribe to my feed by feed reader or email (or let me know if you already do).
  • Follow me on Twitter (@OhMariana) and tweet about this giveaway (1X): Happy birthday, Rubik’s Cube! Enter to win a Cube, along with a solution guide – https://bit.ly/a5UvZs #RWNH (pls RT)
  • Link to me in your sidebar or blog roll. Feel free to grab my button (at the bottom of the page).

The Rubik’s Cube folks are providing these prizes to my readers at no cost to me. Contest ends May 1st, 2010 11:59 pm EST. US entries only. One person per household may enter. Leave a separate comment for each entry & a valid email address. Winners, chosen at random, have 3 days to claim their prize.

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a list of all my latest giveaways!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Ok, so I don’t need a Rubik’s cube – but just had to say that you’re making me feel old here! In 1980 I turned 10 and was just starting middle school. 😉

    My hubby can not only solve the traditional Rubik’s cube, but also the 4×4 and the 5×5 versions – the guy can’t pass by a ‘messed up’ Rubik’s cube without stopping to solve it. Yes, I married a nerd, lol!
    .-= Deb – Mom of 3 Girls´s last blog ..If life is a rollercoaster, I think I’m ready to get off now! =-.

  7. I was 9 years old, already a Beatles fan for a few years, and I remember hearing that John was killed that Dec. Still one of the most traumatic events ever for me.
    Other than that, I was probably coloring in coloring books and fighting over sweets and what to watch on tv with my siblings.

    Never could solve the cube without taking it apart.

  24. I was 9 in 1980 and probably spent at least some time that year trying to solve a Rubik’s cube- I remember them being highly coveted toys when they came out! Otherwise I was going to swim practice and riding bikes with friends.

  38. Back in the 1980’s I was into playing barbie in elementary school, loving the atari

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

  39. I’m an old timer; I was teaching in 1980. It was the year I met my husband.

    bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

  41. I was 10, like a few of the other comment writers. I also don’t need a Rubik’s Cube – though I’m sure my 10 yr old son would like one. Then again, the lil bugger is smarter than me at 10 than I was, so he’d solve it faster than I ever could. Oh, I never could. 🙂
    .-= Matthew mmWine Horbund´s last blog ..Delicious White Wines From France =-.

  42. I was setting up fund raising for the Multiple Sclerosis Society a disease my mother had
    tamben7996(at)aol(dot)com

  51. In 1980 I was 8. I am awful with remembering what happened which year, but I’m sure I was having fun because I loved school.

  53. In 1980 I had been out of college for a couple of years and was working at my first job as an electrical engineer. I still have my rubix cube and my 18 year old son still plays with it, but the color squares are starting to come off (after 30 years, I can see why) and I need to get him a new one.

  66. In 1980 I was busy raising my 3 children and I bought a rubik’s cube for my oldest he never did solve it and it would be a great gift and memory for him

  67. I was in year 5 of my job at a local hospital – working the front desk & minding the switchboard. I worked there for 22 years (eventually becoming the billing supervisor), so I have very fond memories of those early years!

  70. I was a decade away from being born in 1980. Or alternatively, I was in 1980 having created a time machine sometime in our future, and decided to go to (or accidentally landed in) 1980.

  71. In 1980 I was a SAHM with my little boy and little girl. It was a very good year. 🙂

  74. In 1980 I was 11 and I was playing with my Rubik’s Cube. It’s been awhile since I played with one, but I’m sure I can still solve it.

  79. In 1980 I was a security guard for a large company who was secretly trying to solve the Rubik’s Cube on the midnight shift.

  82. Well, in 1980 I was two years old so I don’t remember!
    .-= Katie´s last blog ..Stuff. =-.

  85. I was only 4 years old and I was in preschool in 1980
    .-= Jennifer Kasprzak´s last blog ..WHEN I REACH 50 FOLLOWERS …….. =-.

  87. I have your blog button on my sidebar
    .-= Jennifer Kasprzak´s last blog ..WHEN I REACH 50 FOLLOWERS …….. =-.

  91. I was raising my 3 sons in 1980.

    janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
    .-= Janet F´s last blog ..Friday Follow: A Celebration of Followers =-.

  95. I was born in November of 79 so I was just a newbie! But I played lots of Rubik in the years to come!
    .-= Cori Westphal´s last blog ..Bounce House anyone? GIVEAWAY at Two of a Kind, Working on a Full House =-.

  120. 1980? Hmmm . . . I was approaching my “Terrible Twos”. I finally learned how to solve the cube last July.
    .-= Sherwin F.´s last blog ..whntmprsflare: Happy birthday, Rubik’s Cube! Enter to win a Cube, along with a solution guide – https://bit.ly/a5UvZs #RWNH (pls RT) =-.

  122. I was in elementary school and trying not to be a geek with my faded jeans and big hair.

  123. In 1980 I had just finished my tour of duty in the Army, started taking classes part time at a university as well as working part time. 😉

  129. I was not born yet, it would be two more years before I started life

  136. In 1980, I was watching my then middle-school son solve the Rubik’s cube much faster than I ever could. Where did the time go?

  139. I wasn’t born yet, but my parents were getting ready to get married! 😉

    tigpooh1516″at”yahoo”dot”com

  142. Ha, I was playing with a Rubik cube, of course 😉
    .-= Dina´s last blog ..Audio Book Review and Giveaway: The Art of Choosing (Ends 5/16) =-.

  143. Subscriber
    .-= Dina´s last blog ..Audio Book Review and Giveaway: The Art of Choosing (Ends 5/16) =-.