[noahlt]

Every time I see this story, I try counting the round vs square rectangles, and in practice they seem about even in my life. Door frames, picture frames, books, cabinets, and windows are all actually squared off.

(And natural things aren’t rectangles at all!)

[mikepurvis]

I had the same thought, but I’m actually currently on a passenger VIA train carriage, and almost everything in this “fully designed” environment is rounded off— the windows, the seats, the tray tables, the vent holes, even the bodywork itself. An airplane would be similar.

[kqr]

I feel like that is due to physical constraints (are glass panes weaker at the corners?) than actual design-to-be-pleasing-to-look-at.

[canthonytucci]

It might also reduce the risk of (some kinds of) injury in an event where the people inside bounce around. Same for inside cars.

[IIsi50MHz]

Corners tend to focus force, so yes, glass corners are more at risk the further they are from round. There was an earlier airliner (whose name escapes me right now) which was noted for having squarer corners to its windows, and suffered more damage to glass and frames than rounder designs. I think it was retrofitted with rounder windows.

[vasco]

> And natural things aren’t rectangles at all

Pyrite would like a word!