An 8-Dimensional Model of the Universe

Physicist and surfer Garrett Lisi presents a controversial new model of the universe that — just maybe — answers all the big questions. If nothing else, it's the most beautiful 8-dimensional model of elementary particles and forces you've ever seen.

8-polytope

A polytope in eight dimensions is called an 8-polytope. The most studied are the regular polytopes, of which there are only three in eight dimensions: the 8-simplex, 8-cube, and 8-orthoplex. A broader family are the uniform 8-polytopes, constructed from fundamental symmetry domains of reflection, each domain defined by a Coxeter group. Each uniform polytope is defined by a ringed Coxeter-Dynkin diagram. The 8-demicube is a unique polytope from the D8 family, and 421, 241, and 142 polytopes from the E8 family.

Regular and uniform polytopes in eight dimensions
(Displayed as orthogonal projections in each Coxeter plane of symmetry)

A8			B8						D8
8-simplex			8-cube			8-orthoplex			8-demicube
E8
421				241				142