How a Teapot Changed the World

In 1974, computer science student Martin Newell was developing cutting-edge 3D graphics techniques at the University of Utah, but the existing mathematical models were too simple to properly test his work. What Newell needed was a 3D model with just the right complexity - not too basic, not too intricate. The solution came from an unexpected place: his kitchen. Newell’s wife suggested using their teapot. It was perfect - curved surfaces, a handle, and a spout that could cast interesting shadows. Newell sketched the teapot and input its curves into a Tektronix storage tube, an early text and graphics computer terminal. This digital model, now known as the ’Utah teapot’, has become a legendary go-to test object for 3D graphics. Today, this teapot is hidden in many movies and games as an inside joke with the original teapot now sitting in a museum. #didyouknow #techhistory #computerscience