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> Although it may be neat to look at, it weighs a massive three pounds (~1.4 kg) and is very tiring to manipulate. Solving this is more a test of the wrists than of the mind!

This was the punchline I was looking for. The aluminum version seem like a more desirable version at 500g.

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Now make one out of tungsten.

Tungsten is famously hard to machine, but ultra-pure tungsten is supposed to be OK.

I wonder if one can hollow out the individual cubes to decrease the weight.

Or you could increase the weight by using tungsten or depleted uranium.

With the same dimensions as the one in the article, tungsten would be around 7.3lb, and DU is only slightly lighter. If it was osmium, the densest known element, it would be around 8.5lb.

Osmium would evaporate, slowly, and poison you while it did.

Strangely, osmium oxide is a gas.

Iridium might be the better choice.

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