Why did Gustave Eiffel use triangles?

Have you ever wondered what the strongest shape in the world is? Grab some straws and let’s find out! If you pin four straws together to make a square and give it a tiny poke, it squashes completely flat. But if you pin three straws into a triangle, it won’t budge at all! Mathematicians call this amazing superpower "rigidity." Because a triangle's sides lock its corners perfectly in place, its shape cannot change! Travel back in time to Paris in 1889 to see this superpower in action. The brilliant engineer Gustave Eiffel wanted to build the tallest tower in the world. People thought he was crazy and that the roaring wind would blow it down! But Eiffel knew a secret. He didn't build a solid box; he built a massive open web using over 18,000 pieces of iron, laced together into thousands of triangles! The wind blew right through, and those super-strong triangles held the Eiffel Tower firmly in place. From the frame of your bicycle to giant bridges and electricity pylons, triangles are quietly holding up our incredible world. Join Mira and Finn as we explore the magic of rigidity!