What is the purpose of the Rube Goldberg machine?
A Rube Goldberg machine, named after American cartoonist Rube Goldberg, is a chain reaction-type machine or contraption intentionally designed to perform a simple task in an indirect and overly complicated way.
Who made the world’s largest Rube Goldberg machine?
Scandiweb
A Latvian e-commerce company called Scandiweb created the world’s largest Rube Goldberg machine to turn on the town of Riga’s Christmas tree. The chain reaction consisted of a whopping 412 individual steps. The whole process lasted 10 minutes, and Riga mayor Nils Ušakovs started the machine.
Why are reactions and chain reactions important in Rube Goldberg machines?
When children experiment with chain reactions, they learn at a very basic level that “I have power and can affect the future by my choices and decisions.” They nurture an internal locus of control.
What prize did Rube Goldberg win for his cartoons?
Rube Goldberg won the 1948 Prize in Editorial Cartooning for “Peace Today,” an illustration of a precariously poised atomic bomb that captured many anxieties of the period.
What jobs did Rube Goldberg have?
He received a B.S. in 1904 and took a job designing sewer pipes for the San Francisco Sewer Department. After a few months, however, he left to become a sportswriter and cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle (1904–05) and later for the San Francisco Bulletin (1905–07).
How long is the longest Rube Goldberg machine?
412 steps
The largest Rube Goldberg consists of 412 steps and was achieved by Scandiweb (Latvia), in Riga, Latvia, on 2 December 2016.
Why did Rube Goldberg not give his kids his last name?
During World War II, as each of his sons were heading off to college, Goldberg insisted that they change their surname because of anti-semitic sentiment towards him stemming from the political nature of his cartoons. Thomas chose the surname of George, and his brother, also named George, followed suit.