"The Rubik's cube was invented in 1974 by the Hungarian professor of architecture Erno Rubik. Some people may remember of it as the Magic Cube since at the beginning its inventor named it "Buvos Kocka", the Hungarian name for Magic Cube. The Hungarian cube was firstly a success in its native country, and then it became a real triumph in the whole world. The object had been conceived at first in order to develop the faculties of visualization of the pupils in architecture. It turned out afterward that the educational dimension of the Rubik's Cube was much important... It is indeed a natural and material representation of some mathematical principles. In fact Erno Rubik had the first idea in spring 1974. He does several attempts and solve the cube for the first time summer (it took him one month to solve it). The final technical solution is ready at the end of the autumn of the same year. At the beginning of year 1975, Erno Rubik starts up the necessary process to apply for a patent and starts searching a partner for the industrial production, which finally begins in 1977. The cube quickly becomes very popular in Hungary. The international interest in the cube began in 1980 to last until about 1983. During this period, a great number of Rubik's Cube was sold. There were many broadcasts with speed competitions and shows around the cube. There was even a cartoon dedicated to it. Many clubs were also created almost anywhere." http://cubeland.free.fr/infos/infos.htm A translation of Erno's story tells how he invented the cube. " It can have been in spring, 1974 that the idea came to me, as a noteworthy possibility. I have a nature attached to experiences, so, since the beginning, I studied variations of a 2x2x2 cube. I was immediately struck by the wealth that could be sensed only from this start. The final technical solution, which is the simplest form 3x3x3, the most easily workable in models, after a few tries, came to me toward the end of autumn, 1974. Several models ready to work were made for me and my friends, it has been exciting to play with them for the first time. We were all surprised to discover gradually that we had made something original, new." More here. http://cubeland.free.fr/infos/ernorubik.htm