Henry Segerman

Henry Segerman is a mathematics professor at Oklahoma State University, where his research centers on geometric topology and mathematical visualization. His YouTube channel is a direct extension of that academic work, using 3D printing, virtual reality, and mechanical sculptures to make abstract mathematics physically tangible rather than purely symbolic.

Yes — Segerman authored Visualizing Mathematics with 3D Printing, published by Johns Hopkins University Press, which demonstrates how physical 3D-printed models can make higher-dimensional and topological concepts genuinely understandable. The book is aimed at math students and curious general readers who want to explore geometry through hands-on objects rather than equations alone.

Expanding racks are gear-driven mechanical linkages — built on the rack-and-pinion principle — that cause a structure to expand or contract in a mathematically precise, perfectly synchronized way. Segerman designs and 3D prints these as kinetic demonstrations of geometric and kinematic ideas, and they tend to go viral for their mesmerizing, satisfying motion.

Dupin cyclides are a family of curved mathematical surfaces related to tori, spheres, and cones through a process called geometric inversion. Segerman's slide-glide cyclide objects are 3D-printed models where pieces glide smoothly along the surface, turning an abstract mathematical definition into something you can actually hold and interact with.

Yes — one of Segerman's signature research projects is using virtual reality to let people experience four-dimensional spaces as if moving through them, including structures like the 3-sphere that have no ordinary three-dimensional representation. He has built VR applications and presented them at public events and mathematics conferences to make higher-dimensional geometry genuinely experiential.

Segerman designs mathematically unusual dice that explore symmetry groups and number-placement arrangements well beyond a standard six-sided die. They sit at the crossroads of combinatorics, group theory, and physical fabrication, making them popular collectibles among math enthusiasts and board-game communities.

Six-axis racks appear to be a three-dimensional generalization of his expanding rack mechanisms, where gear-driven racks extend simultaneously along all six face-directions of a cube — the positive and negative x, y, and z axes. It fits directly into his ongoing project of taking planar mechanical or geometric ideas and pushing them into full three-dimensional space.

The title plays on a recurring theme in Segerman's work: mathematical structures that superficially resemble a familiar physics concept — here, something with the shape or algebra of spacetime geometry — but are actually pure topology or mathematics in disguise. He regularly uses this kind of reframing to reveal that abstract math quietly underlies ideas across very different fields.

Segerman has made many of his mathematical model designs available for purchase or download, with his website segerman.org serving as the central hub for finding current options. Some designs are also released as printable files so anyone with a 3D printer can fabricate their own copy of a mathematical object directly.

Segerman.org is Henry Segerman's academic and portfolio website, where he archives research papers, 3D model files, photos of his mathematical sculptures, and details about his book and public talks. It functions as the primary home for his work outside YouTube, including collaborations with other mathematicians and artists in the broader math-art community.