Can you solve the alien pyramid riddle? - Henri Picciotto

[@mayleevelasco]

3:54 “you could write out the algebra again, but here’s a more visual approach” *proceeds to do algebra with colours*

[@saininsa98]

more VISUAL they said lol

[@misoguhhh]

Get it!?

[@misoguhhh]

0:18 IS THAT THE AUCTION STONES!?

[@ThePenguinMan]

@@misoguhhh OH MY GOD GANNON?

[@mrmurpleqwerty4838]

@@misoguhhh oh woooooowwwww they reuse assets to save time oh my god

[@magistermercury]

For the final question, the answer is no, or at least not yet, because while the other 99 scientists are probably safe on top of a mountain right now, your base might be below sea level. To paraphrase Futurama, "How many atmospheres can the [base] withstand?" "Well, it was built for space [habitation], so anywhere between zero and one."

[@z.m.6053]

I was thinking the same thing lol. I was like “omg they’re going to flood their whole base 👀”

[@alyendragon4209]

Yea but why would the city be below sea level

[@magistermercury]

@@alyendragon4209 While I'm hardly an expert in Martian topography (hard to imagine, I know), this is my logic that lead me to my Fermi estimation: Roughly 71% of the Earth is covered by water, and if the same scenario took place on a future Earth, the base would statistically be built below sea level. Sure, the settlers probably wouldn't build their base in the Marianas Trench, but they probably wouldn't build on Mt. Everest either. So, unless they had the foresight to build their base on one of the massive yet still relatively small plateaus that are actually continents, then their base will probably be underwater when the oceans return. Additionally, Mars' topography is generally more extreme than Earth's, with higher highs and lower lows. While Mars has fewer mountain ranges, it's mountains and volcanos are much taller than those on Earth, and while the Earth has roughly 120 impact craters, Mars has more than 43,000, which also tend to be much deeper and far wider. Also, to gain better access to resources like thermal power and possible underground water or ice deposits, scientists suggest that any habitats built on Mars be at or even below ground level, and building the base in a crater could help shield the settlers from dust storms and solar / cosmic radiation. Taken all together, this does not guarantee that the base would be below sea level, but assuming they built it in a relatively wide and flat area without taking elevation into much if any consideration, there's a relatively high likelihood that the base was built on what would become a wetland at the very least, if not be completely underwater.

[@peterschmidt5583]

The problem I have with your logic is that it ignores the existing Martian city in that location. This would require their underground city to also be underwater. It wouldn't be impossible but seems impractical. I could imagine that a switch to drain all the planet's oceans could be built on the coast, but I suppose it could also be built at the bottom of the ocean.

[@magistermercury]

@@peterschmidt5583 Fair enough; however, because we don't know much about the Martians, their technology, and/or the state of Mars before they left, it's dangerous to assume anything. The Martians could have been aquatic or amphibious in nature, so their cities being underwater wasn't just practical but necessary. They clearly had the technology to drain their entire planet's ocean and hide it underground, so would it be that difficult or implausible for them to do the same with a city? Maybe the moment you press that button, the ceiling of the cave opens up, and the entire city rises up on a platform like a giant bathtub stopper, allowing the returning water to flow out from underneath it. Perhaps like today, Mars didn't have or started to lose it's magnetic field, resulting in its ionosphere slowly being stripped away by solar winds, assuming it even had one when the Martians were around, and the Martians as a result intentionally built or began to build their cities underground and underwater to protect them from solar radiation. Again, I am not saying that it's guaranteed that your base and/or the city is below sea level; however, that's the sort of thing you should determine BEFORE pressing the button. We cannot simply assume that the base is above water, so we should instead err on the side of caution, the same way that, once the water's of Mars return, you shouldn't just run out to the nearest coast or stream and start drinking it by the handful. It could be acidic or alkaline or poisonous or contain an ancient alien parasite that turns people into water zombies.

[@cristinat.8952]

This is the first time I was able to solve a TedEd riddle and I'm so proud of myself

[@Sid-mj1qf]

Me too 😭

[@silverleaf15]

I was surprised that the hardest part was just remembering the characters for the new numbers. But congrats! TedEd puzzles are insane!

[@xavierburval4128]

Same, it’s very satisfying

[@bogdanmoise5071]

Me tooo🤤

[@goemon9378]

me too! high five

[@alexowen5987]

Just love the amount of unnecessary context they give us in these riddles lol

[@P_vlv]

ye

[@oliverfalco7060]

Hahahaha

[@Lheticus]

Are you kidding? The context is COMPLETELY necessary. Without it, these videos would be completely boring!

[@oldcowbb]

at least we are not kidnapped by aliens that make us solve random riddles this time

[@alexowen5987]

@@Lheticus We should start guessing what the next one will be about... I say Halloween BUT it could also be intergalactical mushrooms that need to save their Holy Moss, which has been kidnapped by the Higher Queen of the planet of the opponent space football team... LOL

[@Mdwantstosleep]

Animators: How many refrences do you want in your videos? Ted-ed: *y e s*

[@ryalexstudios]

I would seriously watch this if it was a TV show. TedEd, your storyboarding is amazing! Keep up the good work.

[@Honeybee9630]

Yeah, has some "The 100" vibes to it. It'd be nice to explore.

[@sev1011]

100% gives Cyberchase vibes minus the futuristic/digital world environment

[@Zinaida7224]

I really like the easter eggs of previous puzzles like the hexagons from the "Legend of Zelda" riddle and the crystals from the "Elemental Spirits" riddle :D

[@thebluepitara]

I noticed them too!

[@NumbToons]

@@thebluepitara ozo

[@Masterofham8]

At 3:23 there are the 3 golden hexagon’s from dongle’s difficult dilemma

[@felixlee9645]

​@@thebluepitaradont forget the emeral

[@alexandermcclure6185]

@@NumbToons apparently "ozo" means "again"

[@Yearofthebows24]

Solved it using system if equations. I overachieved on the first pyramid by solving all the squares, and then got the second using the same method. Super fun. Always a blast solving the ones with actual math involved instead of "what does ozo mean"

[@pretzelbomb6105]

Plenty of different kinds of riddles. Logic puzzles, math problems, ethical dilemmas, consequences of language, etc. All are different, but all serve the same general purpose: making you think.

[@SonicLoverDS]

I was able to solve this one perfectly. One hidden facet of the riddle that the video didn't really touch on is that it involves a property of Pascal's Triangle. The number at the top of each pyramid (1) is equal to the sum of the two numbers in the row below it (1, 1). Or count two rows down and it's the left number, plus twice the middle number, plus the right number (1, 2, 1). Or go to the bottom row with four numbers, and it's the sum of the left and right numbers, plus three times each of the two numbers in the middle (1, 3, 3, 1). And I'd wager this pattern would go on indefinitely with sufficiently tall pyramids.

[@Honeybee9630]

The Pascal's wager. And I am surprised they didn't use this at all, same as you. I really expected them to.

[@omegadeadpool2947]

Wait We're actually supposed to solve these?? I thought we were only supposed to do watch them and laugh at the extremely unlikely and highly coincidental context of these solutions

[@TheGregamonster]

It can't go on indefinitely because each layer has to be able to divide into the layers below it. Eventually you get down to ones and you can't make a row beneath it.

[@nitramreniar]

@@TheGregamonster well you can have an arbitrarily high pyramid, if you allow the top number to be arbitrarily large and there is no limit to how far you can extend the described pattern.

[@zmaj12321]

@@Honeybee9630 Pascal's wager is something completely different. It's an argument for why people should believe in God.

[@meino6465]

"...revealing a fortuitously base 10 numbering system." Is an absolutely terrifying line

[@DarkSt3ve]

For the solution to the second riddle, the "visual approach" is literally just doing the algebra again just with a green and an orange dot instead of x and y. There is nothing easier or helpful about it.

[@TunaBear64]

Yep

[@rakdos36]

Especially if you are colorblind.

[@juanli4153]

It's more helpful for me especially with the equation, but idk bout you. And they tell you which one is orange and green so I think it'd okay.

[@pyroaznnerd]

For some people, they get confused when they see variables. Colors can simplify things for many people, since it lets them focus on matching what they see. As a HS tutor, it's a surprisingly effective technique for those that are "bad" at math.

[@bulgna]

Dots are a visual way to conceptualize variables, some people struggle with the concept

[@YukioTaksuki]

I love the scenarios that you give us before we solve the puzzle/riddle

[@felixlee9645]

Yeah. Otherwise it'd be pointless

[@rainbowblade9847]

I think this riddle was made by ALIENS!

[@Th3DankestMemer]

"I'm not saying it was aliens, but it was aliens." - Giorgio Tsoukalos

[@Sagar.-.]

Damn, you were not supposed to know this.!

[@maryelainagarmany1120]

4:51 what do you mean "do you pull it?"

[@blakeking1125]

You might down the other scientists. Of course there's nothing saying you can't wait for them to come back

[@gort2558]

At 3:20, did anyone else realize the lights are the same as the auction riddle with 99 emeralds? Theres also an emerald in the ceiling. I love references

[@aspiringwayfarer]

yes! i did too

[@KBSOffical]

Same

[@bluephoenix97]

Those are the magic hexagons

[@aspiringwayfarer]

@@bluephoenix97 Hexagons are the bestagons after all

[@thomasle7253]

Oh yeah I just realized that’s pretty cool!

[@benjamincurran5799]

You know, all this reminds me of a puzzle video game I once played called "The Witness". You figure out how the puzzles work and apply that knowledge to other puzzles. After a couple of puzzles are solved, your understanding of their rules has been reinforced, and you become better at solving them. Suddenly, just when you think all's said and done, you take a step or two back, only to realise that even more puzzles hide within the environment too, and your puzzle solving keeps going! I love puzzles based around discovery, there's something pleasurable I find after uttering the words "I understand". And the reveal that the environment is a puzzle too just caught me off guard and really made me go "wow!" All of you guys have really blown me away on this one, great job!

[@matiassanchez1362]

I find it so strange that despite me loving puzzle games and watching lots of gameplays of this genre I've never heard of that game until a week or so ago when I started hearing people talking about it almost daily!

[@joelstevens5670]

I know exactly what you mean. I once watched a full playthrough of ‘The Witness’ which revealed the genius of the environmental puzzles, so for TED-Ed to get the game concept and an environmental puzzle into a riddle video was a whole other level of brilliant!! The second part of the riddle was really interesting as well.

[@adammccarthy4076]

0:40 The green gems and the tri - source are on the ceiling !

[@AngryAuditor]

Hoping you fix the 10 and 100 in the examples but I love how knowing about Pascal's triangle helps find the solution. Each number going two levels down is the side numbers plus two times the center. Going down three levels you add the two sides plus THREE times each of the interior numbers.

[@Luke-me9qe]

Yes. A shame they did not find this in the review before uploading

[@presentlee9403]

I was so confused because in their system there's no 70. But I ignored it and solved the riddle and realized it was a mistake

[@OrbitalBliss]

That's actually the 100 and 1000, the 10 is just fine. But as you can see anyone can make mistakes. ;-)

[@aguyontheinternet8436]

@@presentlee9403 there is a 70, it is written by first drawing the old tv looking symbol, and then a -

[@gingerinajacket8519]

@@presentlee9403 They didn't need to make a 70. It was implied by the fact that the 10-50 was just the symbol it was supposed to represent, followed by the "0" symbol. They already proved the point.

[@TheWarrrenator]

TED-ed: “Can you solve the riddle?” Me: Sure, but if I let the video keep playing the riddle solves itself.

[@leviosarwingardium]

This is one of those rare times where i solved a riddle. Did the first one and was very proud, second one was much trickier and i of course, gave up ✋

[@anonymous-m7k]

This is the first one I could actually do. Right before a Higher Math exam!! Thanks, TED-Ed.💖

[@PramkLuna]

Glad that the riddle series is finally back!!

[@MANGLORIOUS]

Can we just appreciate the background music? It gives off the perfect vibes to complement the video. The small taps that sound like water dripping from a cave ceiling, and the adventure-esque genre, I really like it.

[@Marscandy1]

2:37 Wow, didn’t know the first sign of intelligent lifeforms other than our own would be selfishness.

[@leokahn8456]

Thank you so much for uploading videos like these, they really help me think an relax.

[@shadexvii3975]

0:20 oh. The gems, rupees, and hexagons from prior riddles!

[@justinehercthehuman]

This is most likely their easiest riddle. I was being paranoid the whole time cause I don't have faith in myself with solving their riddles so I was waiting for the twist that makes it impossible for me to solve. LOL!

[@rubyvergouwen]

No the easiest riddle still goes to the one with the labelled boxes

[@EnriqueLaberintico]

The hard part was taking 9+10 seriously for the second equation.

[@CARA-p3j]

Lol 😂

[@chinaman1]

This sounds like something that Nicholas cage would be very interested in tackling.

[@imeldasuryanti2335]

I feel really smart for being able to solve both of the riddles, thanks ted ed!

[@nguyenhien-dd3rk]

Yes, thanks Ted ed!❤❤🎉😻👍💋💘

[@alexowen5987]

I start feeling like riddles are getting easier with each new video, but people just assume they're harder so they don't even try to resolve them. And yes, I'm guilty.

[@marithedurian]

5:13 I like how they use the mars numbers instead of normal ones.

[@Phoenix97579]

Thank you for making my day mathematical once again TED-Ed! I managed to solve the first one but I failed the second one because I used algebra a bit too much so that made me confused. However, when I saw the solution of the second riddle and realized how simple it is, I was absolutely flabbergasted! This riddle made me think that math is insanely beautiful and I love it. Thank you for this amazing riddle TED-Ed.

[@JjMn1000]

0:19 They have the 3 gold gems from the dongle’s difficult dilemma riddle. This could explain how they are so advanced.

[@penguino1230]

Love your videos TED-Ed! They're educational and enjoyable!

[@Badget007]

Finally. After 3 months, we have another new riddle video

[@quodvultdeusbagaskoro4785]

*Thinking hard to solve the riddle *got it! so proud of myself "Inside there is another riddle..." Damn.

[@JosipLopez]

TED-Ed: "Can you solve the alien pyramid riddle?" Me: "Ozo"

[@Oculunus]

I like the fact that there was a 2nd surprise riddle after the 1st one.

[@nguyenhien-dd3rk]

Me too.😽👻

[@Chigger]

Plot twist: The other scientists are on their way back with large loads of ice, and they end up getting drowned by the sudden rush of water you release.

[@Utred2012]

Always enjoy the references - hexagons, elemental crystals, pearls for the sea monsters, and of course the space suit referencing when the virus broke containment.

[@theawickward2255]

Given how big the lever is and how it's been left without maintenance for eons, a better question might be 'CAN you pull it?'

[@vladtheimpaler9577]

This is legit the first and only time I've ever tried to solve the riddles myself.

[@JeffTheBestest]

I love how there's somewhat continuity with these riddles. We get to see the tri-force gems from the auction riddle!

[@thevirge33]

I love how they add references to previous riddles, I’m not going to spoil the riddle the eastereggs are from, but just know the gems are a reference

[@carealoo744]

0:25 At-least 1 of us have Green-Eyes!

[@anang6411]

YES

[@Ilikeberries2]

I love how there are other references to other riddles

[@captainMony]

No, i cant solve the alien pyramid riddle. Question resolved

[@Sid-mj1qf]

Yayy!! After a long time, Riddles are back. Thanks Ted ❤️

[@courtney-ray]

They upload a new one every month

[@Sid-mj1qf]

@@courtney-ray they posted the last riddle 4 months ago

[@silaspitcher2110]

I consider all Ted-Ed riddle videos to be in the same universe because its so fun seeing easter eggs from past riddles in the videos

[@dhanvi-shah]

"Can you solve-" "No."

[@Mswordx23]

You can solve this one, it's pretty simple

[@michellegodwin6567]

"You and the other 99 scientists-" WE ALL HAVE GREEN EYES I just solved it

[@chrisb8698]

Ah, finally. The quarterly riddle!

[@just-apt]

Me: YES I SOLVED MY FIRST RIDDLE! “Inside you find yet another riddle” Me: *well shi-*

[@Titanic-wo6bq]

*Pulls the lever* Amazing, we have fresh water now! Rest of the team: *_drowns_*

[@Pineapply_Queen]

It looked like the rest of the team was heading to a mountaintop. They're fine.

[@danyelhaskins6210]

Oh thank god TedEd came through with a new riddle- I was having a pretty bad day😅🙏🏿. Y'all knew what I needed 🤜🏿🤛🏻

[@MayaMilova]

The guy could just climb up the lever, take the 3 golden hexagons and recreate the world, so he could live on mars

[@aadyasinha1701]

1st ted ed riddle I came across that I could solve!

[@pictureplanet1]

This could have all been way easier if the scientists explored the ruins before they ran out of water.

[@kyrond]

There is a typo in the image explaining the base-10 numbering system, the symbols for 100 and 1000 should be I - - and I - - - , not Y - - and Y - - -

[@xsneakergirlx]

Whats 9+10? 2:23

[@louplayz752]

I love how the timer uses this base-10 system, worthy of the tally marks, The double-riddle video too.

[@johnshedd6420]

I love doing it and realizing that I did it a completely different way than what the video did. I realized that the number that's 2 rows down and exactly vertically aligned with another number, if doubled and then added with the number to the left and right, equals that original number. So for pyramid 2, the original number of 32 is what I'll use. Two rows below and vertically aligned is the center 9. Double that to get 18, and add the 10 (to the left) and 4 (to the right) to get 32. This works for every possibility. Damn I just solved math. Math is officially solved.

[@GBJwill]

Finally solved a Ted-Ed riddle on my own, feel like the man right now

[@andfriends]

I like how they let me put bunny ears on my space suit

[@purplecharmanderz2975]

i love the easter eggs to older riddles presented throughout the video here... the 3 golden hexagons... the elemental crystals...

[@iam_a_sad_khan]

ted ed really making their puzzles very easy so more people can solve them and watch this video again and again lol

[@darexinfinity]

You can also use the fibonacci sequence to tell that the bottom of the pyramid's number must be multiplied in order to make the top number. But honestly I did not like the first riddle. The concept was fine, I just hated having to go back in the video to get the numbering system. That should have been in the pause screen.

[@dr.lily_scp6970]

These riddles have taught me more than school has in the past eight years, and they’re enjoyable.

[@ritikaupmanyu9136]

When he says the door to all the pyramids will... At 1:22 who else thought he would say will close

[@strreetlamp7613]

whoever does the zooms on the characters faces at the start of every video, you have my heart

[@NumbToons]

Easiet Ted-ED puzzle for sure. It will be fun to give to kids in Maths class.

Dunno why you'd make it more complicated by using green and orange balls instead of x and y, but it works just the same

[@Macieks300]

This video would be perfect for an elementary school algebra class.

[@aaliyahkishore246]

This looks difficult, but trust me, it's actually really easy if you do it by considering all of the information.

[@christophercripps7639]

You pull the lever; water rushes to the surface flooding the surface where your camp is & filling the caves.

[@power21alt96]

I think we used the 3 silver gems we won in an auction to make like 12 more and scatter them around

[@filipporatti6188]

This riddle was very good, however I solved the second one in a similar but different way. I used the pascal pyramid: 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 3 3 1 The number on top of the pyramid is a the sum of all the numbers at the bottom multipled for their position number. Ex. In the second pyramid 32 19 13 10 9 4 5 5 4 0 If you multiply the numbers on the bottom line for their position numbers ( 1 3 3 1 )and then you sum them togheter, you will get 32: 5x1 + 5×3 + 4×3 + 0×1 = 5 + 15 + 12 = 32 I used thus strategy on the last pyramid and then I gained 81 ÷ 3 that gave me 27. However, I have to admit that the one used in the video is easier to use.

[@Account_ded]

Okay so let's say I pull the lever and the water starts rising above ground and now all the scientists drown from the water and all the buildings there get instantly destroyed by the huge waves of water.

[@Titanic-wo6bq]

You could choose to pull the lever, gather some water, and then pull the lever again to return the oceans back underground. Or you could try and contact the aliens.

[@just-apt]

Step 1: Use the gold tri-source to enslave the world to your wits Step 2: Eat an elemental crystal Step 3: The prisoners with green eyes will reply Ozo

[@juanli4153]

Even aliens draw stickmen

[@upsidedown-pug1974]

The fact that the entire place was a pyramid and that it was a puzzle with the building would be a great plot twist is some kind of puzzle like that… *_wait a second_*

[@phamhieu647]

4:52 yes

[@strange_and_magnificent]

I just love watching these riddles and not trying to solve them.

[@user-RobloxMan]

just love the references from other riddles

[@emmanateion]

I like the fact that you are using things from other riddle videos

[@phatato]

How many problems in the world have been solved using algebra? It never ceases to amaze how wonderful of an "invention" it is

[@theglem4]

I forgot how much I enjoy algebra.

[@viviandoesstuff7753]

the real riddle is figuring out how there's an "icecap" on mars

[@PramkLuna]

Step 1: Confirm you have green eyes Step 2: Ask the aliens to let you leave the planet

[@gregheffley5745]

The aliens are gone, also that joke is stale.

[@hulohyou8536]

Plot twist, the remote doesn't put the numbers in the same order as people on Earth do

[@pepsiatlas5452]

That concept about hiding the water is some real classic Sci fi stuff

[@kenn5412]

Riddles are back on the menu!

[@TakeruDavis]

After a long while, another riddle I was able to solve. I love Pascal's triangles

[@superrobloxplays]

YESSIR THE FIRST TED-Ed RIDDLE I'VE SOLVED! Though this was fairly easy as compared to most others.

[@Yash-wm1nj]

Ted ed proposes a "visual approach" for the second riddle "instead of" the algebraic one. Me : * *cries in colourblind* *

[@BlackziisBack]

What a Cute Animation, Especially An Uncommon Bunny Astronaut Character!

[@kylahicks7054]

Been waiting for a riddle for so long!

[@just-apt]

How Roman numbers were invented: