The satisfying math of folding origami - Evan Zodl episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 7, 2026 · 8 MIN

The satisfying math of folding origami - Evan Zodl

from TED-Ed · host TED-Ed

Dig into the mathematical rules and patterns of folding origami, the ancient Japanese art of paper folding. --Origami, which literally translates to “folding paper,” is a Japanese practice dating back to at least the 17th century. In origami, a single, traditionally square sheet of paper can be transformed into almost any shape, purely by folding. The same simple concepts yield everything from a paper crane with about 20 steps, to a dragon with over 1,000 steps. Evan Zodl explores the ancient art form.Lesson by Evan Zodl, directed by Charlotte Arene.Support Our Non-Profit Mission----------------------------------------------Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreonCheck out our merch: http://bit.ly/TEDEDShop----------------------------------------------Connect With Us----------------------------------------------Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebookFind us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitterPeep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram----------------------------------------------Keep Learning----------------------------------------------View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-unexpected-math-of-origami-evan-zodlDig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-unexpected-math-of-origami-evan-zodl#digdeeperAnimator's website: https://vimeo.com/charlotteareneSound design: https://www.campstudio.co/Educator's website: https://www.youtube.com/ezorigami----------------------------------------------Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Nathan Milford, Tomas Beckett, Alice Ice, Kurt Paolo Sevillano, Max Salas, Xavi Ramos, Khoa Nguyen Anh, Ron Kakar, Jennifer Heald, flóra lili donáti, Megulo Abebe, TAO7 HORUS, isolwi, Linh Tran, Vedasheersh, Michael Chang, Alexander Gruber, Irene Y., Kate Sem, VPpurplebelt, Ujjwal Dasu, Winnie Yeung, Giovanna Suleiman Dores, Moritz Heinz, Theunis Groenewald, Võ Thiên Kim, JasonD, Terran Gimpel, Dillon Jason Ramai, Gareth Thomas, Talia Sari, Allen, Kevin Fowler, Sarat Chandra Vegunta, Gautam, Mahina Bachiller, Bruce Vieira Lopes, Charmaine Hanson, Paul Aldred-Bann, Thawsitt, Jezabel, Adriano Fontes, Xiao Yu, Melissa Suarez, SpartacusDMR, Brian A. Dunn, Francisco Amaya, Daisuke Goto, Matt Switzler and Leonardo Monrroy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 7, 2026

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

The satisfying math of folding origami - Evan Zodl

0:00 8:07

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of TED-Ed?

This episode is 8 minutes long.

When was this TED-Ed episode published?

This episode was published on August 7, 2026.

Can I download this TED-Ed episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!