A domino is a small rectangular block with a line down the middle that separates each end into two squares. The two squares are either blank or have a number of spots, similar to those on dice, called pips. A set of dominoes consists of 28 pieces and can be used to play many different games. Dominoes are also known by other names, such as bones, cards, men, tiles, or stones.
The most basic domino game involves drawing tiles and then placing them on a table, with each player taking turns playing tiles. The first player to place a tile wins. Depending on the game, players can take more than one turn and can win by laying down all of their remaining tiles. In some games, the players must win by a specified number of points.
When a domino is tipped over, it causes the next domino in the line to tip over and so on. This creates a chain reaction that continues until all of the dominoes have fallen. Dominoes can be stacked on their edge in long lines to make beautiful patterns and can even be used to form 3D structures like towers and pyramids.
Scientists use dominoes as a tool to study the interaction between neurons, or nerve cells. They can be arranged in a pattern that mimics the shape of a brain, with the lower layer of neurons that form the basis of a neuron. Using a domino model, scientists can test how different factors influence the speed at which a nerve cell responds to an impulse. For example, if a domino is pushed with an excessive amount of force, it will fall at a slower rate than a domino that is pushed more gently.
A domino can have any number of pips, from six to none. A domino with a higher number of pips is considered to have more value, or rank. A higher rank means that the domino can be played in a more specific direction than a lower rank domino.
For most of the early 1900s, about 60 percent of all sugar consumed in America passed through a brick monolith that stood on a waterfront in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where Domino Sugar was the dominant business. That refinery closed in the early 2000s, and the site is now undergoing a massive redevelopment with luxury condos and retail stores. But not everyone is happy about the change. The neighborhood residents feel that Domino has a history of gentrification that has left them behind and that the new development is squandering the area’s rich heritage.
The term domino was inspired by the fact that these small rectangles can be stacked on their edge in rows to form very long lines. When the first domino in a row is tipped over, it triggers all of the other dominoes to topple over, creating a “domino effect.” Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Juan.