Man Unveils Interactive Toothpick Sculpture of SF That Took 35 Years to Create

Haha, wow. Went to the Exploratorium today and saw this guy there with his sculpture. Now it's on the front page of Hacker News! What a coincidence.<p>He said that when people ask him when he started building it, he replies "Well, I got up <i>real</i> early this morning."

This just makes me thinking that people just have misplaced talent. Just imagine if cancer research and solving aids was as approachable as building things with toothpicks, we'd probably be way further than we are in solving the world's problems.

I was impressed, but then I learned there are a dozen paths through. Now I'm baffled.

Not to be a pedant, but I believe that this is not a Ruth Goldberg machine, but rather, a Jolly Ball track: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4qlXjhUHvg" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4qlXjhUHvg</a>

I couldn't help but think of how fragile it is, and how I could never spend so much time making something if I knew it could (physically) break so easily.

I've just recently returned from my first trip to SF. This video really made my day, and it feels so much more real now that I've actually seen most of this things.<p>Those of you who live in SF, you can't imagine how lucky you are! I envy you all!

Don't ask for the 'Great Quake and Fire of 1906' path.

I wonder how many people living in San Francisco actually know its beautiful history.

What happens to the sculpture, now he has completed it? Does it go on permanent exhibition somewhere? Curious to know its fate. I would like to visit San Fran some time, and I would pay to go and see that sculpture if I did.

the best part is the centrifugal force.

You just made my Sunday night.

Like most of these sorts of projects, it's a combination of "impressive" and "kinda sad".<p>edit: Removed bit about children