Beijing National Aquatics Center

This guide to the Beijing National Aquatics Center traces a mathematical puzzle first posed in 1887 by Lord Kelvin, and the 1990s discovery that finally beat his best guess. You'll hear how engineers translated that bubble geometry into the building's glowing plastic skin, and how Michael Phelps swam to eight gold medals in the pool beneath it in 2008. Look up at the pillows overhead as you listen.